Iman Qureshi's delightful tale of a group of six women who come together to form a choir has much to recommend it. It is full of humour, and its political heart is in the right place. The characters are nicely drawn, and it is easy to identify both with them and with their plights: Lori's issue is that she is not out to her church-going family; Ana is determined to be politically correct at all costs, but she is also consumed by jealousy and fearful that Lori might leave her; Dina is from an Arab culture which wouldn't accept her orientation and she has an emotionally abusive husband; Fi is a wheelchair user who is going through a divorce and who has some questionable views about who should actually be part of the sisterhood; Bridget is a trans woman looking for love and acceptance; and, Ellie is a promiscuous non-binary individual who is exploring their identity. This group of songsters is presided over by Connie, the OWL (Old Wise Lesbian) who proves to be the work's moral centre. It is she who delivers its message: "we all sing best when we listen to each other." The first act of The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs opens with a rather ponderous prologue, but it then has some great one-liners which, while they don't always seem appropriate to the character who delivers them, engender the roars of laughter which they deserve. And, at the conclusion of this act, we are left feeling that we are in pretty familiar sitcom territory. The second act, however, takes on some rather weighty political and social topics. Suddenly, we find ourselves reassessing what playwright Qureshi's intentions are. This has become a more serious and thoughtful work than we had been led to believe. Everything is no longer being played for laughs, and we are being asked to consider some serious issues. It almost feels as if we have tumbled into a different play. While The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs has some strong performances and is a thoroughly entertaining evening, it might have been more successful if the two acts, almost genres, of the work had been more integrated. There becomes a sense that there are simply too many threads to this plot, and too many important issues being addressed that only get the briefest look-in. Nevertheless, that being said, this is a completely enjoyable theatrical experience. However, be prepared to never hear that old standby, "My Favourite Things," in quite the same way again!
Rated: ★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Mark Senior
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