Review: Dumb Kids is a funny and tender play
Written by Jacob Parker, Directed by Sophia Bryant
Review by Rebecca Cushway
One hundred minutes is an awfully short amount of time to fit in the entire spectrum of teenage crises but Jacob Parker manages it with panache and flair. His play, Dumb Kids, may well have the world record on instances of the word ‘lesbian’ spoken within a single stage production. It is a brilliantly entertaining play that captures what it feels like to be both giddy and devastated by your teenage relationships.
The premise is this: ten (queer and not so queer) teenagers are in the midst of planning their year eleven social, navigating the awkwardness of discovering themselves and each other within a modern Australian context. The parallels to Netflix’s recent revival of Heartbreak High, in both tone and content, cannot be overlooked. There are flagrantly queer boys dating sweet closeted ones, non-binary teens navigating new relationships, girls coming to terms with their sexuality against their will, and friends pining away for each other, too scared to say anything. Rather than feeling derivative, Dumb Kids is a refreshingly honest portrayal of how absolutely cutting these experiences can be.
The drama of this ecosystem is communicated with all of the available tools of live performance by director Sophia Bryant and movement director Emma Van Veen. They utilise the instruments of interpretive dance, choreographed video game simulation, and careful choruses of overlapping conversation to work through complex ideas about gender and sexuality. The suave Fraser Crane as Gabe is carried across the stage like a modern day prophet, giving wise counsel to the questioning queers huddled at his feet, lit with expert drama in blue. The perfectly timed ensemble make way for Rachel Seeto’s nuanced portrayal of Maria, moving delicately and shouting ‘lesbian’ at each other like chaotic galahs, as she takes on her new identity.
Thomas Doyle’s lighting design is creative and impactful, and a particular highlight is the way that coloured spotlights bring the Anonymous Grindr Torso character to life, seamlessly integrating an online chat space onto the stage without losing the audience for a second. This incorporation of the modern queer landscape is indicative of the lived experience behind this show. The references are current, and the stereotypes are fully realised. The concerns of teenagers in 2023 and the language they use to describe them are seamlessly integrated into the script without feeling pushy or overwritten. The dialogue is snappy, and it is performed with sincerity by an expertly developed ensemble cast.
There are some heavy themes in this play, such as sexual assault and the navigation of less clearly identifiable violations of consent. Dumb Kids affords these all of the necessary seriousness without trying to preach moral lessons to its audience. The pacing of weighty moments is interspersed with moments of levity in spontaneous choreographed dance breaks and cacophonies of playground chatter. Time pushes on, and the rises and falls of dramatic tension push on with it.
This is a funny and tender play. I found myself holding my breath as two characters leaned in for a long-anticipated kiss, and cheering along with the rest of the audience when the final formal outfits were revealed. Apart from a recurring lobster motif that felt shoehorned in at the last minute, this play effortlessly explored the disappointments and growth of the modern Australian teenager. It is beautiful to see such honest writing bring joyful and complex queer stories to life, a step away from the pervasive tragic trope.
Dumb Kids is playing at KXT on Broadway until 8 July. Find tickets here
Images by Phil Erbacher
Rebecca Cushway is a radio host blessed with the most luxurious radio voice in the Inner West and burdened with the ability to do everything everywhere all at once. She’s not nearly as smart as the undergrads she tutors at UTS think she is.
This review was generously donated by Bec.
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