Written and directed by Billie Esplen, Cowboys and Lesbians is a queer coming of age story that is every bit as funny as it is authentic
Written and directed by Billie Esplen, Cowboys and Lesbians is a queer coming of age story that is every bit as funny as it is authentic. Noa and Nina are best friends. At seventeen years old, they lament their sexless existence, wondering when all these seemingly mandatory high school experiences might happen to them. They’ve never had their first kiss, never had sex, and have never really known how to find the person to do all these mysterious things with. While it is glaringly obvious to the audience, neither Noa nor Nina will admit that in actuality they simply fancy each other. Noa is too busy obsessing over her English teacher and Nina is too capable at emotional regulation to admit she feels anything, let alone that she fancies her best friend. Instead of admitting how the really feel to each other, they start to write a fantasy novel, one set in the deep American South, or the Midwest, or somewhere there abouts. This romance has it all: a rugged cowboy, a remote farmland, a bright young woman who feels trapped in her little farm town, a violent sibling, drama, lust, and a juicy traumatic arc. The play flip flops between Noa and Nina’s reality and the world of their story, the actors seamlessly transitioning between multiple characters. Their American South/Midwest counterparts are exaggerated, almost soap opera like characters, with extravagant accents, embellished behaviour and ridiculous personalities. The performative distinction between these two worlds makes it easy for the audience to understand exactly when are where the action is taking place without relying on physical conventions, such as a set change, to help them along.
Excellent performances and phenomenal writing made this play a genuine joy to watch. Georgia Vyvyan was astounding as Noa and outrageously funny as her counterpart, Elda. Julia Pilkington portrayed intricately unique and equally hilarious performances as Nina and multiple characters featured in the romance novel. The chemistry between these two performers was grounded and electric, fizzing with anticipation and youth. These two seventeen-year-olds were portrayed as complex adults as opposed to giddy youths, a refreshing presentation.
Sex is a continuous topic of discussion between Noa and Nina. Their confused curiosity is excitingly honest. They say the questions teenagers most certainly think but are perhaps too scared to say out loud. Esplen manages in 75 minutes to achieve a genuine summation of what it feels like to be a teenager questioning their sexuality and, in doing so, wondering what this whole ‘sex thing’ really is all about. Noa and Nina have lots of questions, and they ask them outright. There are few plays that express this experience so distinctly and so holistically.
Over and above all the minutiae of the writing, the fully fleshed-out storyline, the complex and three-dimensional characters (unless otherwise intended), and the authenticity of Noa and Nina’s experience, Cowboys and Lesbians is really funny. The audience was in repeated stitches, stirred by both the dialogue and the remarkable performances. Cowboys and Lesbians exceeded expectations in more ways than one and is most certainly worth heading to Park Theatre to catch before it closes.