Converted

Conversion therapy has been banned in four states of Australia but the memories of the harm it has done is still raw. The harsher consequences of this practise are given a light touch in Converted, which is an entertaining joyous disco satire of the idea that anyone’s sexuality can be changed through outside influences.

Overall, it’s a very slick musical with wonderful characters, flashing lights, crisp dancing, lots of good jokes and thumping music.

The setting is a camp where almost everyone is camp. Parents have sent their wayward teenagers along hoping that “unstructured peer to peer mingling” will help them find a heterosexual partner.

The fix yourself retreat for low self-esteem teenagers is led by the indomitable and puritanical Mrs Doctor, played by Helen Dallimore, who does brilliantly to keep a straight face during her frequent strait-laced instructions to the campers.

Fellow instructor Mr Doctor (Nat Lobe) puts his foot in it, in the first scene by offending reluctant participant Denver’s (Red Scott) gender identification.

The set and lighting designs (Savanna Wegman and Brockman) are a delicious mix of a basketball court with the markings embedded in neon lights – surrounded by disco mirrors.

A metaphor for religious or moral authority behind the conversion camp is the ‘mirror of truth, which is set to be revealed at the end of the camp when one of the instructors, Ms Newsome (Cassie Hamilton), is scheduled to marry the intriguing Silent Greg (Ashley Garner).

Several campers experience personal growth during their stay at the retreat.  Horace (Teo Persechino) has been sent to the camp because of “a lapse” that took place in Dubbo and uses palm cards in an earnest bid to woo a potential girlfriend.

Maya (Megan Robinson) and Bone (Teo Vergara) are initially opposites – one desperate to find a man – the other desperate to rebel, but are unexpectedly drawn together.

There are lots of nice tunes in the piece – one of my favorites was ‘They are in pain’, sung by a participant Kyle (unambiguously straight and a clumsy dancer) whose parents thought he was going on a basketball camp.

For those characters who come to terms with their own identity and sexuality, the pain is disappearing by the end of musical – which sends the audience out with hope and glitter.

David Spicer

Photographer: Daniel Boud