The advance of social issues in the twentieth century have got human beings questioning their own identities more than ever; sexuality, gender and mental health being a very small portion of these topics.
Swimming is a powerful piece of new writing by Alex Bower, which dynamically explores these ideas, and that prejudice is wired within us all, whether we are aware of it or not. After a sell-out run back in 2019, Kayla Feldman has brought this intense piece of work back on its feet in an immersive yet uncomplicated way.
Right at the beginning of the play, we are introduced to the cracks between Dan (George Jones) and his long-term girlfriend Marianne (Rose Dickson). After their sudden split, he goes to the swimming pool and meets Sam (Dominic Rawson), where he immediately begins to question his sexuality. Even though he is adamant that he is infatuated with Sam, the plot is centred around Dan’s struggle to accept his queerness, both within society and in himself. Through trying to keep his relationship and sexuality a secret, his mental health begins to spiral and he pushes everyone away, including his best friend Ant (Andy Sellers). Swimming is in fact a wider metaphor for the decision of picking ones’ lane in life.
