Community: The House of Blah Blah, Middlesbrough.

SALTBURN’S young playwright Scott Davies wrote and produced this innovative new LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) play. The project was formerly known as Exchange House, which is a formerly derelict Grade II listed building, once a post-office, but now a space devoted to the arts and drama. Inside it is run-down and quite empty, however this is the perfect venue for Davies' play that is raw, edgy and controversial.

The narrative paints a picture of the challenges and angst facing the LGBT community today. The writing is drawn from Davies’s real-life observation and experience.

His characters exist in a world where addiction to casual dating using phone apps is rife. Sexual promiscuity dominates the nature of these relations and fake internet profiles are accepted as the norm. Affairs can be ended as quickly as they began with a click of the computer mouse. The characters enter their own world of dark shadows and pain. Josh convincingly played by Andrew Dawson is in a relationship with a married man. When the relationship is exposed, it results in betrayal, humiliation and ultimately tragedy.

Another character who is an army veteran suffers from PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). As he re-enacts the sounds of gunshot in his head (complete with fire-crackers on stage) he also battles with the unnerving mental turmoil of coping with his sexuality. This is thought-provoking material that asks many questions and takes a peek into a world many of us know little about.

Andi Nader