We don't normally review works in progress, but that description is more a mark of Jeremy McClain’s honesty and humility than a reflection of his solo show Rat Tails at the Fruitmarket. The vast majority of productions at the Fringe are probably works in progress, if the truth were told.
A delicate balance of humour and vulnerability
McClain is best known for his portrayal of Cubby Wintour over three seasons of the Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated Pose. The talented American has left New York behind and is now an Edinburgh resident, the home city of his husband. It's a move that echoes in his semi-autobiographical play.
In Rat Tails, McClain plays Jasper, a Prozac-popping, biracial, millennial model agent from the American South living in London with his British, aristocratic husband. (The aristocratic bit is wishful thinking!) We follow him on an existential journey as he anxiously awaits their baby's birth in an NHS maternity waiting room. As Jasper grapples with themes of intergenerational trauma, mental health, gay culture, and class dynamics, the show provides a thought-provoking insight into his emotional state in the face of impending parenthood.
It’s a deeply personal and authentic narrative inspired by the creator's quest to start a family with his partner. Prompted by a pivotal question from a doctor - "What kind of parent do you want to be?" - the character’s exploration delves into Jeremy’s childhood, fears, traumas, and aspirations with a delicate balance of humour and vulnerability in this cathartic expression rooted in his own profound introspection.
McClain has created a waiting room set in the refreshingly airy upstairs studio of the Fruitmarket; such a contrast to the many enclosed sweatboxes at Fringe venues. Daylight pours in through the window and is integrated into the action of the play. Some chairs are bright yellow, others dazzling white - they were there when he moved in - and they are arranged in what at first seems to be a challenging configuration. A back-to-back central row in two sections faces an arc of seats on the two sides. This enables figure-of-eight movements around the space and places him in the midst of the audience. At times he will take the opportunity to sit down and deliver in conversational mode; one of many strategies that makes this delightfully intimate show so easy to watch, McClain being such a confident, relaxed, and personable guy.
A work in progress? Yes. We chatted afterwards about a couple of issues. Worth seeing? Absolutely.
