A brotherhood of racist skinheads is the only way of life that Adam and his fellow gang members know. This brotherhood is built on violence and hatred towards anybody who is not a white, British nationalist. It is certainly no safe place for a gay man, unfortunately for Adam.
The League of St George, original writing by Georgia Bliss, explores a world of conflict, aggression and fascist attitudes clashing with sexual identity and morals. The tone of the play is immediately set by the huge St George's flag and a gang of angry skinheads breaking onto the stage opening into an energetic, confrontational punk song with lyrics such as 'England belongs to me!' Combining theatre with punk rock music, the show throws the audience headfirst into the darker side of 1976 London and the dangerous, unpredictable lives of the characters. The difficulties that Adam faces due to his sexuality are evident from the offset; his friends Mark and Jimmy constantly objectifying women, using sexist language, making crude comments and teasing Adam over his inexperience.
The standard of acting is commendable, with the actors combining their theatrical and musical talents and creating believable characters with a great deal of depth. Oliver Tunstall's performance as Adam especially stands out and he does an excellent job of portraying Adam's inward struggle and evident hatred of his own sexuality. Dan Walker's portrayal of Adam's seemingly dysfunctional father is also notable and he enables the audience to empathise with the emotions of his character.
With humour, aggression, heart wrenching emotion and a live band, Bricks and Mortar Theatre's production of The League of St George certainly has it all. Think 'This is England' meets punk rock; this play should definitely be on everybody's must-see list.
