Toxic by Dibby Theatre Review
Written by Emmie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Emotional warnings: scenes of recreational drug use, scenes of a sexual nature, strong language, use of homophobic and stigmatising language, references to sexual abuse, frank discussion of racism, scenes of emotional and physical abuse.
Health warnings: Includes flashing lights and amplified sound.
Presented by the award-winning LGBTQ+ national touring theatre company Dibby Theatre and described as an explosive semi-autobiographical production, Toxic offers a bold and critical look at the resilience of the queer spirit. Written by Nathaniel J Hall (First Time, It’s A Sin), who also stars alongside Josh-Susan Enright, the play follows the trajectory of a relationship between two people in the LGBTQIA+ community. We witness their journey from the initial spark through to the breakdown of the relationship and all the shattered pieces left behind. Their story is enhanced by a spectacular original explosive soundtrack by SHAR.
Introduced from the beginning as ‘The Playwright’ and ‘The Performer’, Toxic puts a lot of groundwork into addressing vital conversations around homophobia, stigma, racism and toxic gender norms in a time which feels so urgent. It’s an incredibly ambitious piece of multi-layered theatre that tries to cover all the bases it possibly can in 80 minutes. Lu Herbert’s design, alongside visual projections and lighting by dede ././ and Tracey Gibbs emphasises the atmosphere, which is an important element alongside the pace at which Toxic runs at. Performed in a more intimate studio space allows the audience to be thrust into the heart of the trauma bond that brings Nathaniel and Josh-Susan’s characters together. The projections of digital interactions were particularly catchy, whilst the small (but incredibly versatile) set is the beating heart of all of the action. The actors often used handheld microphones to emphasise some areas of the work and this aligned well with the flow.
Inspired by true events, this piece hits hard with its authentic beauty and standout writing. Heavy themes run deep throughout Toxic, but sharp flashes of humour give the audience just enough room to breathe. Despite the humour, it can execute the impact it clearly wishes to make with its audiences.
A lot of the themes weren’t able to be fully fleshed out in the way I would have hoped, making it quite difficult to connect with Toxic completely in the way I would have hoped to personally. There felt like there wasn’t enough time to completely understand the characters before we were thrown onto the course of this production, therefore, the emotional impact wasn’t as much as I thought. However, it’s an incredibly honest and heartfelt piece of theatre that has the potential to make a deep impact on other audiences, so I still encourage you to give it a go.
On a UK Tour until 9 May 2025
★★★
