Stephanie Martin’s Juniper and Jules is an intimate exploration of a lesbian relationship that examines the nuances to queer relationships and the many hurdles they have to overcome. Martin shines a much needed light on the tension between identity, love and lust, producing a play that is as quick-qitted as it is touching.
A mirror up to nature
Primary school teacher Jules (Carmella Brown) and software engineer Juniper (Meg Louise Wilson) meet at a party. Jules has never slept with a woman before. Juniper has slept with many. The couple embark on their journey through love, lust and identity, trying every trick in the book to maintain their connection. The play shies away from nothing, depicting raw, vulnerable and, at times, clumsy exchanges as they would appear in real life. It acts as a mirror up to nature.
Jules is more shy and less experienced: bashful and exciteable - skittish, even, whereas Juniper knows what she wants, and is not afraid to ask for it. Archetypal ‘top’ and ‘bottom’ dynamics are explored in the couple’s power (im)balance, highlighting the significance of sexual roles in the emotional lives of partners. Martin intricately presents ways in which individuals exhibit their queerness and how this affects relationships when two people are not on the same page, asking the question, “should they have to be?”
Scenes play out with ease, much to the credit of Wilson and Brown’s confident performances and Craig Legg’s subtle and effective direction. It’s pacy and dynamic, using snapshot scenes to convey the full narrative. Though Legg could allow for the actors to slow down and cherish the present moment a little more, the heated fast-paced arguments are very effective and highly realistic. Speaking of pace, the ending feels different to the rest of the play and is not as clear, relying on some clichés to drive the narrative. This could be improved by lengthening this final section as to not undermine the rich tapestry created in the first three quarters.
The play is refreshingly sex-positive and it is clear that Legg took great care and consideration in the sensitive moments of intimacy. Confronting the concept of ‘lesbian bed death’ head on, Martin depicts methods of experimentation that are often disputed, such as open relationships and kink. Should their love feel safe, or should it be heart thumping? Juniper and Jules cleverly plays with all these ideas, making it a thought-provoking and stimulating watch.
