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I, AMDRAM The amateur players get their part in Hannah Maxwell’s story of return and reconciliation
‘It ain’t High Art. There’s some stupid jokes and sing-along and extremely poor piano-playing.’ Hannah Maxwell’s description of I, AmDram might consciously reject the usual claims of live art – the genre in which she has established a reputation for engaging and witty work – but she revels in the tension between queer performance and the amateur dramatics that fi rst inspired her.
‘I’ve tried to situate the show, in form and content, at a midpoint between my memories of amateur dramatics and my present experience of living in London as a queer performance-maker,’ she explains. From her time as a member
of Welwyn Thalians Musical and Dramatic Society, Maxwell retains a fondness for the ambitions of a theatre community that is often damned with faint praise. ‘What has also been fun, in
sharing early bits of I, Am Dram to friends in London – drag kings/ queens, trans activists, live artists, lesbian academics – is realising how everyone has at some point been in the chorus of Calamity Jane!’ she continues. Observing the connections between two apparently diverse scenes drives the show, pulling out their shared supportive sensibilities. Having worked with Split
Britches, a company internationally recognised for bridging the gap between experimental and accessible theatre, Maxwell’s celebration of her secret past refuses to exclude either group. ‘I really enjoy people from both sides being in the audience – making confused young LGBTQ+ people sing “Pack Up Your Troubles”, then slipping in some veiled references to drugs and cunnilingus. To the tune of “Modern Major-General” from Pirates of Penzance, so my nan probably didn’t even notice.’ (Gareth K Vile) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 3–26 Aug (not 12), 2pm, £7–£9 (£6–£8.50). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6.
31 Jul–7 Aug 2019 THE LIST FESTIVAL 103