Disorder and mayhem are at the core of this complex revival of Taylor Mac’s black comedy Hir pronounced ‘Here’. Trauma is at the forefront of each character’s story and this production highlights how it affects everyone differently. Taylor impressively tackles critical themes such as gender identity, queer theory, toxic masculinity and PTSD and places it in a family setting. His quick-witted writing and Steven Kunis’ chaotic staging slowly builds tension which over the course of the play feels like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off!

At the beginning we are welcomed into a house which resembles that of a dumping ground rather than a loving home. It is here where we meet a man dressed in a pink night gown and clown make-up; his name is Arnold (Simon Startin) the abusive husband of Paige (Felicity Huffman) the family matriarch. Paige is deliberately neglecting her abusive husband “who is not all there” after having a stroke, as well as deliberately drugging him with oestrogen. She continually belittles him by spraying him with water when he is disobedient and enjoys emasculating him showing a shift in the societal power balance. We soon learn she does this as a form of revenge and safety for herself and Max who took the brunt of his abuse. Huffman is perfectly cast, giving the audience a realistic portrayal of a woman who will not let her past define her, reminding her children “We will not rewrite our history with pity”.

Surrounding Paige are Isaac (Steffan Cennnydd) ‘The prodigal son’ who is returning home from the war after being dishonourably discharged for a drug habit. Steffan masterfully portrays Isaac’s inner turmoil, fighting against his brutal urges which are at times too hard to control and the desperation of not becoming his father. But sadly, we are shown that Isaac is also suffering from PTSD, thoughtfully portrayed during an episode Isaac experiences at the end of Act One when he starts seeing faces of people from his time in the war.

Then there is Max (Thalía Dudek), an inquisitive trans-masc teenager whose pronouns are Hir (the title of the play). Max is somewhat of the comedic relief, which Thalia does with ease. We’re also told how Max longs to move and be a part of a community of gender fluid people like hir, unlike the cruel and unwelcoming one they grew up in. Thalia’s gorgeous acting was truly inspirational; whilst educating not just their family onstage but also the audience watching.

A special mention has to go to Simon Startin, whose portrayal of a stroke survivor was incredible! Though he didn’t have as many lines as his cast members he delivered each one with such conviction and when his character reached his peak of anger his acting was truly remarkable!

Taylor’s writing allowed each character to have their own spotlight moment. But when they were all acting together the chemistry between the four actors was spectacular, they were all naturally funny and comfortable in performing highly emotional scenes together. You could not help but see the trust and respect they had for each other.

The staging done by Ceci Calf sets the tone of the play from the beginning welcoming the audience into a home that is overwhelmingly cluttered, which reminds me of a phrase my mum used to say about mess: “it looks like a bomb gone off”, which by the end of the play it figuratively has. The chaos that the messy floor induces also sets the tone for the interactions between characters. As the script spirals into different directions the conversations between everyone sometimes gets lost. It is in the high intensity scenes where Steven Kunis’ production struggles to keep the focus on the dialogue as I was sometimes distracted by the characters stumbling over props on the floor. However, the messy floor does reflect each character’s acrimonious journey with each other, as the play finishes with the absence of a positive resolution.

Taylor Mac’s ingenious writing cleverly challenges the idea of what a home is and how it means something different to each individual. Isaac’s idea of home is the structure they live in, whereas Paige and Max don’t see home as a physical place but more as a feeling of contentment within the company you choose to keep.

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