Coming-of-age play takes its viewers down memory lane
ANEW play coming to Newcastle, Hartlepool and Hexham has given viewers “goosebumps” with its nostalgic trip down memory lane as it depicts the unique experience of growing up in the North East.
Described by preview audiences as a “relatable” and “tender” coming of age story, My Mate Ren follows the character of sixth-former Alex as she goes through “teenage hell”, telling tales of first kisses, sex, ‘tinnies’ and Cherry Sourz. Alex recounts the events of a night at a house party – a story that involves “lots of scrapes, drama and romance”, teases writer Tamsin Rees.
Alex is played by Jackie Edwards. “Jackie is a wonderful comedic performer,” Tamsin says. “There are lots of different characters involved, but Jackie just embodies them all at once. She just makes me laugh so much – rehearsals have been a blast. It’s been so much fun.”
Directed by Holly Gallagher, who co-founded writing theatre company Sticky Theatre with Tamsin to create “queer work with fresh perspectives”, My Mate Ren has been in development since 2018. It will finally be shown to North East audiences after Covid forced the entire theatre industry to a close – meaning that the original plan to open the show in spring 2020 was postponed by two years.
Tamsin, 27, who is also a doctoral student in creative writing at Newcastle University, compares the play to a coming of age film iconic to those who were teenagers in the 2000s: Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging – except “a bit radgier and a lot gayer”. It’s also a lot more Northern – like Tamsin, Alex’s character is from County Durham, and the story touches on class divides in the region.
The story is inspired by the writer’s own experience of growing up in a rural part of the North East. “My experience was so different to my friends who grew up in larger towns or closer to cities, where they could actually sneak into clubs and all that stuff. We couldn’t even get the bus to the club!” Tamsin laughs.
While it’s not what the story is all about, sexuality is also explored in My Mate Ren through its gay protagonist. “I don’t think it’s a coming out story,” Tamsin muses. “I think Alex is absolutely sure of who she is – she’s just very aware that she’s currently a teenager living in County Durham in 2012. She has a lot of self-acceptance, but she’s very aware of who she is around.”
Tamsin describes My Mate Ren as a “queer romcom”, although it also deals with the issues that sadly come with being out as an LGBTQ+ person, including homophobia and harassment. “It’s important to show the realities of these situations,” Tamsin acknowledges. “But not to let them overpower the characters.”
Audiences will follow Alex as she experiences her first romance and learns how to stand up for herself. “A lot of it is about feeling comfortable in yourself, and trying to find your place,” Tamsin adds.
Despite digging into the nuances of particular identities, Tamsin promises that this is a play for everyone. “There’s an element of universality in coming of age stories,” they point out. “Everyone has those moments of quite significant change and growing into themselves.”
But they hope that LGBTQ+ youngsters in the audience will especially gain something from the show. “I would love it if queer young people and their parents came to see it,” Tamsin says. “If I had seen something like this with my mum, it would have been so helpful.”
Tamsin hopes that for queer people who may be in a similar stage of life to Alex’s character, the show will give them the chance to see themselves in a way that can still be hard to come by in mainstream storytelling.
“I hope it shows queerness winning in the end,” Tamsin says, “or ending up on top - despite the realities of homophobia.”
Funded by Arts Council England, My Mate Ren makes its debut at Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre for three consecutive nights from May 3. It then tours venues across the North East and beyond, stopping at Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre on May 9, The Civic in Barnsley on May 13, Exeter Phoenix on May 17, and the Queens Hall Arts Centre in Hexham on May 19.