I Was a Teenage Bisexual

"I Was a Teenage Bisexual" by @polisloizou is a witty solo performance that delves deep into the realm of supernatural horror as a metaphor for homophobia paranoia in a small town...

🎭We meet Junior, a teenager struggling with body image & traditional notions of masculinity. His discomfort is worsened by his father & a high school bully, who also happens to be his crush. When mysterious bodies start appearing in the woods, rumours spread about a terrifying creature hunting around: the "bisexual..."

Loizou's physical performance is a definite standout. He seamlessly transitions between different personas, from the jockish bully to the girl-next-door girlfriend, and the insecure Junior. These smooth shifts are so on-point that it often feels like there's more than one actor on stage (#inception..!)

Poetic segments sprinkled throughout the piece add great colour, but they can also come across as shoe-horned interludes. Weaving poetry into the narrative🧵 offers the character a chance for introspection, akin to how musical theatre breaks into song for a cathartic moment🤯😌🎶 However, the significance of mixing monologue & #spokenword in this story is somewhat unclear & poses a challenging puzzle to unravel...

The incorporation of mythical creatures as bi-icons is a brilliantly cheeky move🎯 However, every now & then, this approach blurs the story's central theme. Take, for example, when talk of werewolves & deities morphs into discussions more directly related to the character's gender identity. Delving into gods who embody both male & female attributes or wear gender-neutral clothes can distract from the core storyline & leave the audience with a bit of a head-scratching moment...

But, bottom line: Polis Loizou is a joy to watch. Plus, the use of folklore to explore the vilification of bisexuality, set in a B-movie style, creates an engaging & unique perspective. While the mixed discussion of gender & sexual identity threatens to muddle the focus of the piece, its reference to mythical creatures cleverly creates an inside joke with audiences to challenge the perception of bisexuality. WIP 👷‍♂️

#darkcomedy #lgbtq #grimfest