REVIEW | High Times & Dirty Monsters

Chandu Gopalakrishnan and Maisy Gordon in High Times and Dirty Monsters. Credit Jack Ehlen

Written by Joseph

Disclaimer: gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review

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High Times and Dirty Monsters is a play created in collaboration with Graeae Young Company, 20 Stories High Youth Theatre, and Deaf Active. It incorporates Hip-Hop, beatboxing, lights, BSL, and fully integrated Audio Description and captions to discuss very real, challenging themes around ableism, homelessness, substance misuse, financial difficulties, and emotional trauma.

As a person who has experienced most of this firsthand, I found a personal connection with this piece instantly. The integrated sign and AD helped create access for people, without making a big deal out of it. It was effortless and that made it so much more effective. Removing the stigma without having a big sign saying “Hey, look! We’re being accessible, look how good we are!” They just were and it was so refreshing.

It was a very relaxed and safe environment. The performers (Josephine-Fransilja Brookman, Chandu Gopalakrishnan, Maisy Gordon, Billy Pearson, Jayden Reid and Grace Savage) did a great job of helping us to feel comfortable as an audience, not just in an accessible way but as an explanation of what was happening, so that when the stories were being told, we were in a better place to receive them. It removed all of the pretense of “proper theatre” What even is that anyway? It so clearly aims itself at a younger audience, and even if I am now too old to get some of the references, it was heartwarming to hear and see young people in the audience really connecting with the theatre in a way they may not have been able to do.

Composer Grace Savage’s music (some of the best I've seen in a show!) alongside Tony Glover's sound design was unforgettable. Savage’s music style perfectly captured the tone and vibe of the whole show and could transform and change on a dime to be whatever it needed to be, creating tension in places whilst releasing it in others. The performer in charge of the sound (Grace Savage) is a beatboxer, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a beatboxer live before, but it was unbelievable. The talent throughout the whole cast was clear, they have clearly worked together a lot with this and feel very comfortable together. Relatable, funny, and able to get to the heart of a story. Each story was unique but had themes running through shame, loneliness, and hardship, they even included little easter eggs in each that you should look out for.

There was a welfare stand in the auditorium as well offering ear defenders and fidget toys to anyone that felt like they needed one. It was such a positive atmosphere about celebrating our differences and removing any shame or stigma attached to them. I didn’t feel like I needed a fidget toy at the time, but I know sometimes I might, so it was a great addition to have.

High Times and Dirty Monsters is such an important show at the moment. It may feel like there is more awareness of disability now than there has ever been, but that does not mean that it is fairly represented and is represented for all people. We are all unique. We all deserve accurate representations of ourselves. We all deserve our voices to be heard. This show does its part in helping us get to that destination, and it gives us a fun ride while we’re on our way!

High Times and Dirty Monsters is at the following venues on its UK Tour: Derby Theatre: 14-15 November, HOME, Manchester: 17-18th November, Bernie Grant Arts Centre, London: 23-25th November

★ ★ ★ ★ ★