Have you ever tried to figure out what normal looks like when starting from absolute scratch? That is the exact struggle Wes faces in Matt David’s brilliant new show, I Think I’ve Made A Terrible Mistake, as part of Greater Manchester Fringe.
Our main man Wes is a total “lost puppy” who will absolutely break your heart. Seated in a single chair in the dead centre of the room, he unpacks his world as a gay man through a series of interlocking monologues. Early on, Wes covers up the full truth, but we quickly spot an undercurrent of never quite fitting in. We learn this stems from his parents forcing him out of his childhood home just for coming out. It is a powerful nod to that shared experience of anyone who has had to come out, and that very real fear of rejection by the ones you love most.
Desperate for belonging, Wes finds a sanctuary in a religious cult, only to be kicked out of that too! And why was he booted out, you ask? Well, he made the ultimate error of sleeping with the guru’s lover. We get all the juicy, tragic details of this affair, with Wes acting like an utterly love-sick puppy frantically trying to crawl back into favour.
Soon we learn the staggering financial cost of his devotion, a whopping £20,000. The climax isn’t some loud theatrical explosion. The moment Wes realises his sanctuary was totally fake is played with a quiet, shattering stillness that leaves the room pin-drop silent. He is left with painful memories, trauma, and, in a beautifully tender and funny twist, a pet hamster. Yet, you still feel a real flicker of resilient optimism that he can re-enter the normal world.
The show makes brilliant use of the Social Refuge basement on Great Ancoats Street. While Wes stays anchored to his chair, the flanking staircases represent the towering cult hierarchy and his steep climb back to reality. Sitting in a real-world LGBTQ sanctuary made Wes’s desperate craving for community hit ten times harder.
If you haven’t been to Social Refuge yet, honestly, what are you doing with your life? Insider tip: browse the Queer Lit bookshop upstairs and flash your Canal Street Card for 10% off the bar and selected books!
Sadly, this was a one-night-only event. But keep your eyes out for more from writer Matt David. Go follow him on Instagram at @matt_david_writes to catch his next brilliant show!
By James For Canal Street Media