22 April
The title might suggest a contradiction, since we cannot choose what is forbidden any more than we can choose what is taboo; these things are set down by the society we live in. However we can choose to break a taboo by indulging in the very thing proscribed by society as unacceptable. Likewise, it is quite possible to choose to do something that is forbidden – which is ‘haram’. In most western societies homosexuality is no longer forbidden either under law or by society, it’s seen and accepted as part of the warp and weft of humanity. Thus to be told by society at large that you are normal and accepted and yet be told by Islam, the religion that you have been brought up in by your parents, that you are an outcast, can obviously lead to deep emotional conflict and feelings of shame. It is the remarkable achievement of Sadiq Ali, the creator and lead performer of The Chosen Haram that he has created a wordless show which expresses such an internal conflict. Moreover the great strength of the piece is not simply that it expresses in another form what might be easily described in language, but gives physical shape to emotions which convey directly to an audience the inner turmoil of someone torn between conflicting ways of thinking, in a manner that bypasses the need for conceptualization.
Using mime and acrobatic or circus skills with nothing more than two poles and a sofa (the kind of poles that hold up a big top) the stage is used, horizontally and vertically, as the canvas for a love story (or is it lust?) that becomes complicated by the misuse of recreational drugs. The opening tableau is a mix of fetish culture and metaphor as Mr Ali, completely wrapped in black plastic from head to toe, emerges as from a chrysalis and climbs to the top of one of the poles trailing a white train that reaches to the floor – the butterfly emerges.
The developing relationship with his partner, Hauk Pattison, shows him able to be himself, with little touches of prissy prancing, cosplay and a light brush with BDSM. The simulated sex scene is done with no lack of enthusiasm or humour. Whilst the circus elements and physical skills of the performers are entertaining in themselves, this is a show which is more than the sum of its parts, demonstrating the narrative power of physical theatre.
The creative lighting design by Jamie Heseltine and sound design/composition by Guy Veale and Kester Hynds add further dimensions to this challenging and rewarding show.
★★★★☆ Graham Wyles, 23 April 2023
Photo credit: Max Crawford
