Natural Behaviour at Norwich Playhouse Review
Photo: Rosie Powell
Written by Eleanor B for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own
Natural Behaviour, curated by the pair Daniel Hay-Gordon and El Perry, also known as Thick & Tight, is a collection of performed portraits exploring both human and non-human life forms.
The show featured nine performances, ranging from an orange pantomime horse in the style of Donald Trump, to a Japanese Noh and Kyogen theatre-inspired dance focusing on the life of a moth, and an ode to Quentin Crisp and his dusty bedsit.
The production itself felt relaxed and thoughtfully accessible, with subtitles projected behind each performance where necessary. Each piece was introduced with an overview explaining what it was about, who was performing it, and what they looked like, helping to make every performance as accessible as possible.
The first performance, The One Horseman of the Apocalypse, was a very fun and quite unexpected way to open the show. Introduced as “the man who thinks rising sea levels are an opportunity for oceanfront property”, this bright orange pantomime horse, with Daniel Hay-Gordon controlling the front and El Perry the rear, featured a blonde mane and tail, creating the perfect Donald Trump double. Dancing around the stage to Burn Baby Burn, the audience chuckled throughout, but when the tail lifted to reveal Perry’s equally bright orange face mouthing “Drill Baby Drill” to the edited lyrics, the audience absolutely erupted with laughter.
This was followed by a more sombre piece titled Ode to the Last Nightingale. Performed by Annie Edwards, it was inspired by birdsong and the slow loss of bird species across the UK. The piece was split into three sections. The first featured music inspired by slowed-down birdsong, with Edwards’ movements flowing seamlessly alongside each sound. The second explored the calls of endangered species such as swifts, sparrows and puffins, with her movements shifting noticeably to reflect each bird. The final section, the ode to the last nightingale itself, was a solemn combination of flowing and jolting movements, dedicated to the final bird of its kind calling out and receiving no reply. The quote “extinction is a silent sound” appears near the end, creating a genuinely thought-provoking moment.
Creeping Bent, performed by El Perry, followed next. The introduction explained how grass seeds are so minuscule they can be lifted all the way into space, and that creeping bent, a type of grass, is considered a weed by some. This five-minute performance saw Perry glide around the stage as though they themselves were a seed floating through the air in search of ground. Accompanied by the sound of whipping wind, Perry moved continuously across the stage, arms and legs making circular motions as though caught in the currents.
Following this came Lesbian Seagulls. A study conducted in Santa Barbara in 1977 found that 14% of the seagulls observed displayed lesbian relationships, helping prove that homosexuality was a natural phenomenon. This piece featured two fake seagulls sitting on stage, one with a cigarette in its mouth, both accompanied by cans of John Smith’s and a shared bag of chips. One of the seagulls was animatronic, periodically moving its head to stare out at the audience. This was all accompanied by Lesbian Seagulls by Engelbert Humperdinck, described in the introduction as “the voice of lesbians everywhere”. I genuinely had no idea what to expect from this piece, but I absolutely loved it. Long live lesbian seagulls!
Two Moths in Real Time followed, a piece dedicated to the life of a moth and inspired by Japanese Noh and Kyogen theatre. Performed by Hay-Gordon and Perry, this seven-minute piece, notably longer than some insects’ lifespans, featured bright lights beaming from both sides of the stage as though the performers were trapped within them. The sound moved from one side of the stage to the other, creating an eerie and haunting atmosphere. The dancing itself was slow and floaty, interrupted by sudden sharp movements as though the moths were being batted away. As the music built and then slowed, the lights dimmed and the dancers began moving in sync, heightening the haunting quality of the piece.
After a short break, the audience was introduced to Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto in Recollection of Others. Performed by Daniel Hay-Gordon, this piece was created in memory of a friend and inspired by movements they were known for. It was also developed alongside a group of dancers with dual sensory impairment, with whom Hay-Gordon worked to explore alternative ways of communicating through movement. Described as sensory and sensual without shame, the piece celebrates difference and rejects the idea that dancing in an effeminate way should be discouraged. This ballet performance was simply beautiful. Hay-Gordon moved seamlessly across the stage, elegantly linking each section together. I genuinely felt I could have watched it for hours.
Baldwin’s Room followed next, a collection of quotes from James Baldwin exploring the impact of being perceived as unnatural. Created by Azara Meghie alongside Thick & Tight and perfomed by Meghie, the piece combined the styles of both collaborators, featuring elements of top rock and breaking alongside more contemporary movement. It was a captivating performance, with Meghie lip-syncing Baldwin’s words throughout sections of the piece, really emphasising their importance. Their facial expressions elevated the performance even further, conveying both pain and passion exactly where needed. As the music intensified, so did the movement, all while Meghie remained confined within a crack of light across the stage, ending beside what appeared to be the shape of a doorway. It was educational, emotional and still painfully relevant.
A slightly unhinged performance followed in the form of Flies on the Spaceship Wall. This piece tells the story of two flies who accidentally end up aboard the spaceship Katy Perry travelled to space in. Forced to listen to the “preposterous human drivel” she spouts after spending a total of eleven minutes in space, the flies debate whether to continue listening or simply eject themselves into the void. Hay-Gordon and Perry are dressed in bin bags with magnifying glasses over their eyes, the performers delivered something brilliantly ridiculous in the absolute best way possible. It was hilarious, completely absurd, and I would genuinely love to know how anyone came up with the idea.
The final performance was Dust, an ode to Quentin Crisp and his famously dusty bedsit. Featuring Jahmarley Batchelor as Crisp, alongside projected videos from the Camberwell Incredibles, a South London-based arts collective of adults with moderate to profound learning disabilities, the piece balanced humour and sincerity beautifully. Batchelor perfectly lip-synced quotes from Crisp reflecting on how life had passed him by outside, though he remained entirely content within his dusty bedsit. He spoke about being attacked because of the way he dressed, dismissing it as evidence of the other person’s lack of education rather than a reflection on himself. He also explained that while he never cleaned the bedsit during the thirty years he lived there, he believed the dust stopped growing after four years. The contributions from the Camberwell Incredibles added another layer entirely, with standout lines including “Cliff Richard isn’t quite dust yet…”, “it will find you again and collect in small piles next to you because it likes you”, and “dust is part of younger you, waiting for you on top of the telly.” It was a fabulous blend of heartfelt reflection, humour and genuine warmth.
Overall, this was a fantastic showcase of queer artists and the breadth of work they have to offer, with something for everyone across the evening. Currently showing as part of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, this is absolutely not one to miss.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
