My Chemical Romance blares as I enter the Actors Theatre to watch a highly-anticipated Brighton Fringe Show: Apricity Theatre’s Let’s Unpack That. There is an inflatable chair on the stage; the centrepiece of a messy teenage room. Cuddly toys including a Picachu Pokemon overflow from the bed and there is a Korn poster in sight. This is the setting for Tiff to explore her 2007 diary, written when she was 11.
This brave and moving part-play, part-standup, part powerpoint performance features Tiff, now 29, accompanied by her friend Charlotte on stage. It’s nostalgic (even for me at eight years older than Tiff), energetic and cleverly done with plenty of opportunity for laughs as Tiff shares the writings of her 11-year-old self, a post 9/11, post 7/7 somewhat anxious and innocent goth. We are taken on a whistle stop tour of her school experience, including crushes and bullies, a supposed hatred of MCR (that’s My Chemical Romance) and lead singer Gerard Way and a crush on The Mighty Boosh’s Noel Fielding.
There’s a religious upbringing and Sunday school, a dramatic baptism of Kohl eyeliner and a church bowling trip. There are self-proclaimed poorly-aged jokes, yet a reclamation of ‘gay’-ness from Tiff as an adult, in this poignant, celebratory and ultimately joyful piece.
Through the lens of Tiff as a nearly-30-year-old, Let’s Unpack That explores the fat-shaming culture so many of us grew up in and how that impacted so many people so negatively (The Heat magazine covers and quotes from TV show Fat Families are quite something). The shame, repression and negative-self-talk are sadly so relatable. Yet, Let’s Unpack That gives expression to the anger bubbling beneath and is a feminist love letter to everyone it resonates with’s inner child.
Let’s Unpack That is an antidote to repression – whether that’s about sexuality, neurodiversity, body diversity or just being true to oneself. While, there was a lot of humour, ultimately this show left me with tears in my eyes and wanting to give 29-year-old Tiff, 11-year-old Tiff and everyone both of them spoke for a big hug and a rousing cheer.
Make sure you catch this brilliant show with two powerful and confident performers while you can!
Let’s Unpack That is on at The Actors Theatre on Wednesday, May 14 at 6pm.
Tickets: Brighton Fringe
Venue: The Actors, 4 Prince’s Street
