Manchester Theatre News & Reviews
In Conversation with NATHANIEL HALL discussing Toxic at Lowry
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
We chatted to Nathaniel Hall, the writer and actor starring in the production Toxic. Karen Ryder asks the questions.
A HOME Co-commission, supported by Arts Council England This is the story of how we met, fell in love, and f*cked it up. But it’s not just our story. It’s his, and his and theirs. Maybe it’s yours... Maybe.
Manchester 2017. A chance meeting on a hook-up app sets two damaged thirty-something hearts on a spectacular collision course. He is HIV+ and drowning in shame. They are queer and one microaggression away from a full-on meltdown. Born into Thatcher’s Britain of race riots and rampant homophobia and growing up in the shadow of Aids and Section 28, the pair form a trauma bond so tight, they might just survive it all. But sometimes survival means knowing when to leave.
This explosive semi-autobiographical show written by Nathaniel J Hall (First Time, It’s A Sin) and performed by Nathaniel with Josh-Susan Enright blends storytelling (dir. by Scott Le Crass), movement (Plaster Cast), stunning design (Lu Herbert), visual projections and lighting (dede ././ and Tracey Gibbs) and an original pumping soundtrack by SHAR.
Pulling back the glittery curtain of pride to reveal a place where many still suffer the devastating impact of generational HIV stigma, racism, homophobia and toxic gender norms, this powerful and passionate play inspired by true events celebrates survival and the resilience of the queer spirit.
