Unsorted

Unsorted, playing as part of the Midsumma Festival, is a play for children between the ages of 4-12. Written by LA based playwright Wesley Middleton in 2014, some three years before the passing of the Gender Equality Bill in the USA, it aims at addressing acceptance of gender diversity and freedom of choice. Director Tara Daniel felt the message is as relevant today as it was before the passing of our own legislation.

 A “wild romp in the clothing world” claims Jacket (Artemis Munoz), a tough authoritarian masculine character, who supervises a team of generic clothing. Jacket is the self-appointed timekeeper - ruling a tight ship of wobbly, insecure, staple clothing items who are Skirt (OpalOnyx), Stovepipe (Maddie Roberts), Slacks (Mikaela Iness), Sweater (Jordan Stack) and Swimsuit (Madeleine Tucker). The time is “tick-tocking” away and the clothes need to metaphorically sort themselves out via colour, shape and size.

Daniel has directed a poignant and charming piece of children’s theatre and has cast a fine dedicated bunch (including transgender and gender diverse) of performers. There is choreographed physical movement and joyful rhythmic language while addressing difference, visibility, acceptance of gender-diversity and racial equality.

Unsorted encourages the “mixetyness” in oneself and reinforces the right to always be loud and proud whoever you may choose to be.

Flora Georgiou