Jonny Woo: Suburbia - Review
Soho Theatre: Dean Street • Tues 14 Jan - Sat 25 Jan
With Jonny Woo turning the Soho Theatre into something of a confessional for his latest autobiographical one-man show Suburbia, I should probably start with a confession of my own, that being whilst I have been more than aware of the show’s star for many years, it has only been during my annual pilgrimage to one of the UK’s better Pride events, (Brighton Pride), that I have seen Jonny Woo effortlessly entertain the crowds in his more convivial guise as host. Despite the glamour Woo would always bring to that stage in that role, I knew that his impressive reputation had not just been built on such mainstream hosting duties alone, and as I took my seat for tonights show it was with an acute sense of his iconic past, not only as a performer but as the co-owner of several popular East London venues… but tonight was going to be the night I would finally experience a fully uncensored Jonny Woo… and uncensored he most definitely was.
It was clear that I was not alone in my excitement, the packed press night having an almost party-like atmosphere as, amongst the isolated islands of notebook clutching reviewers, there were also hugs, kisses and greetings between old friends, most of who Woo had no doubt connected with over the years. Whilst I assume many may have already been aware of at least some of the life experiences Woo, now 52, was about to disclose, I’m pretty sure even those closest to him couldn’t have fully predicted the more ‘revealing’ ways in which Woo would choose to share parts of his story, moments which have earned the show a strict 18+ admission age!
It starts with the revelation that Woo had recently been gifted a wardrobe full of clothes once owned by a mysterious suburban and hitherto unknown cross dresser who had passed away, (a vision in blue chiffon, many of the outfits could have come straight out of the wardrobe of iconic 70’s sitcom character Margot Ledbetter from BBC’s The Good Life). The gift sparks a memory that takes Woo back to being a small suburban boy with a penchant for wearing dresses himself, snd so starts his reminiscences… part monologue, part stand-up, part cabaret, part performance and, let’s face it… part art installation! In an impressively staged, nicely choreographed production, with noteworthy lighting design by Sam Hoppen, Woo skilfully takes the audience on a journey from behind the net curtains of his 1970’s suburban childhood, to his life as an androgynous club kid in 1980’s New York and on to the Shoreditch drag scene of the 1990’s and beyond.
A smorgasbord of well selected audio cues help take the audience to the heart of each decade, (as well as facilitate Woo’s multiple costume changes… of which I counted three in the first three minutes alone!) Against this audio landscape of Thatcher’s Section 28 speech, the introduction to BBC consumer programme That’s Life, the chilling 1987 Government Don’t Die Of Ignorance public information film and A 1988 Eurovision Song Contest final, Woo also performs some equally well selected musical memories that further evoke the passing decades, (naturally including the Pet Shop Boys ‘Suburbia’, a splendid acoustic rendition in which Woo is accompanied by piano).
As entertaining as Woo makes the telling of his story, the shadow of HIV looms large throughout, as it did for anyone coming to terms with their sexuality throughout the 1980’s and 90’s, and as a performer Woo pulls no punches in addressing the effects these years had on his life, but they are counterbalanced by the sense of joy, exhilaration and community he discovered at the same time. His performance is as mesmerising as it is electric, not to mention eclectic. Entertaining, thought provoking… and just a little bit naughty (you’ll be getting no spoilers from me here!), Woo proves himself to be the masterful performer I always hoped he would be, and even if the keystone moments of Woo’s story might not be the same as yours, this is a one man show with purpose, as well as the ability to punch and tickle its audience in equal measure!
It feels good to now be able to say with, some authority, that far from just being that Brighton Pride host I have enjoyed seeing over the years, Jonny Woo is an original, entertaining, anarchic, genre busting cabaret artist the likes of which are all to rare in today’s queer cultural landscape. Be sure to catch him if you can.
★★★★
review: Simon J. Webb
photography: Harry Elletson