“A fascinating glimpse into the BBC’s past and a poignant reminder of how far gay visibility has come.”
Writer Stephen M Hornby brings The BBC’s First Homosexual to Assembly this Edinburgh Festival Fringe, detailing the creation of the BBC’s first radio documentary about gay men. Attuned direction from Oliver Hurst and skilled performances from Jolyon Benson, Max Lohan and Andrew Pollard present the fascinating internal BBC politics behind the documentary, press othering of gay men, and a realistic snapshot of gay life in the fifties.
Inspired by archival materials held by the BBC and their problematic Home Service documentary Homosexuality: The Condition, The Cult and The Crime, the play explores the first BBC acknowledgement of the ‘social problem’ of homosexuality, featuring so-called experts with no real expertise. Whilst exploring the back-and-forth discussions in the BBC office, the play finds its humanity in the story of young shop boy Tom (Jolyon Benson) as he navigates his sexuality in a world where it is treated as nothing more than a social taboo.
The dual narrative angle of the commissioning of the documentary and Tom’s exploration of his gay identity makes for a fascinating and touching snapshot of gay life in fifties Britain. Andrew Pollard and Max Lohan take on the roles of the BBC creatives spearheading the creation of the documentary, battling threats that the subject matter could destroy the corporation, whilst press reports name and shame gay men who have committed acts of ‘gross indecency’. In the play’s depiction of the documentary’s creation, ‘expert’ commentators only serve to push these distorted truths, particularly through the story of a ‘cured’ ex-homosexual. Some verbatim extracts from the transcript of the documentary are interspersed throughout the production, delivered by Pollard and Lohan. Both actors give an interesting, emotive insight into the creatives behind the documentary, on a mission to raise the profile of gay identity as one of the top social issues of the time.
The real-life human impact of the documentary is seen through the fictional story of Tom. Tom fends for himself when it comes to discovering his sexuality, with his only experience of gay men being seeing their arrests reported in the newspapers. We see Tom attempt to survive in a heteronormative world, dating a line-up of uninterested young ladies, suppressing his sexuality at work, and exploring a queer relationship behind closed doors. The BBC’s First Homosexual provides an eye-opening account of the survival techniques used by gay men to find their community. Tom navigates cruising spots, frequents early gay bars, and begins a secret relationship that ultimately never fulfils him because of the need for discretion. The impact of the documentary, regardless of its misconceptions, on gay men presented a visibility that they had previously never experienced.
Director Oliver Hurst brings a freshness and energy to his direction. Fast-paced changes and character transitions, combined with impressive sound, lighting and technical cues, make for a pacey and engaging watch. Lohan and Pollard are tremendous in their dynamism and enthusiasm in taking on countless roles, showcasing dramatic and comic finesse in their versatile turns. Benson excels at bringing the humanity to the piece, packing the role of Tom with a slow-burning emotive weight as the character navigates his identity.
Ultimately, The BBC’s First Homosexual succeeds because it never loses sight of the humanity behind the history. Hornby’s play examines an important moment in the BBC’s legacy while giving a deeply personal face to the men whose lives were being shamed, debated and judged. Thought-provoking and skilled in balancing its historical detail with genuine warmth and humour, this is a sublime piece of theatre that offers both a fascinating glimpse into the BBC’s past and a poignant reminder of how far gay visibility has come.
The BBC’s First Homosexual runs until August 16. Tickets are available here.
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