Image credit: Chris Payne
Written by Barney Norris
Directed by Jess Edwards
HOME Theatre 2
From the very first moments we meet widower Ian, Going Out Out sets a quietly intriguing tone that gradually blooms into a vivid, heartfelt, and surprisingly joyful exploration of grief, identity and community. The production opens with a man who no longer leaves his house save to water the garden and has his shoppingdelivered by a local charity. The catalyst is simple yet striking when Raz, a young man delivering his groceries discovers Ian wearing his late wife’s dress while gardening. The quiet beauty in the moment is an elderly man being seen and accepted when he explains his wearing of his wife’s dress “helps him feel closer.”
This seemingly modest moment propels a story about transformation. Under the direction of Jess Edwards and written by Barney Norris, the play dramatizes Ian’s introduction to the world of the drag-scene in Manchester and a one night only performance at the working men’s club run by his estranged daughter Lauren. The move from isolation to community is convincingly rendered: the play doesn’t shy away from melancholy, but it crafts an emotional arc that celebrates connection rather than sorrow.
One of the show’s strengths is its soundtrack. Soulful standards and pop-anthem flourishes underpin Ian’s growing metamorphosis. The music and staging inject rhythm and energy into what could otherwise be a quiet story of domestic decline. This musical element underlines how life and selfhood are not merely reclaimed by “going out” but the healing and redemptive nature of singing and performing. Quinn and Kuppan both deliver a number of songs with gusto and panache that drive the narrative to its natural conclusion.
Ian’s transformation feels earned and James Quinn delivers a subtle, humourous and heartfelt performance of a man who feels adrift and awkward without his wife. Darren Kuppan as Raz is a warm and funny guide into the world of drag and coming back to the world. Verity Henry as daughter Lauren sparks genuine tension and hope as she navigates a new relationship with her father. The set design by Miriam Nabarro conjures up the beige home life of a resigned widower and the down beat air of a shabby working men’s club with a delightful hint of glamour with a glittery stage and illuminated dressing room.
There are occasional moments where the narrative feels slightly schematic in the “climb out of grief through performance and friendship” arc. Some transitions between intimate character beats and more theatrical, performance-heavy scenes are brisk and don’t always land smoothly. The shift can feel a little like a lightening quick change in a backstage drag dressing room…effective for energy but small emotional beats sometimes flick past. However the charm and warmth in the writing and the acting by a strong cast is a more than adequate compensation.
What resonates strongly is the message that grief need not annihilate identity, and that stepping into something unexpected (a dress, a club, a performance) can be a genuine mode of survival and renewal. Going Out Out is a warm, compassionate, and musically vibrant piece of theatre. It might not upend every dramatic convention but it delivers characters to geniunely care about, a story to believe in, and the knowledge that sometimes the path through loss may involve loud songs, sequins and stepping outside your comfort zone. For anyone curious about how a quiet life might bloom into something bold, this production is well worth going out for.
Image credit: Chris Payne
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