“There’s a battle inside me between mind, body, and soul” says the unnamed protagonist of Ingrown, young writer and performer Emre Gunes’ immensely self-confident 40-minute single-hander at The Barons Court Theatre. The work, ably directed by recent BRIT School Alumni Ellie Rose Amit, is structured as a series of glimpses into the life of a young man leaving school and struggling to make sense of who he is. The stream-of-consciousness vignettes can feel disjointed, and it is not always clear if the story is being told backwards or forwards. But the piece as a whole is remarkably effective in evoking the chaotic state of mind of a young adult who for whom “everything feels too full and too much to keep up with”. This is a life is on the cusp of dramatic change, where the possibilities presented by the future seem almost unbearably burdensome.
Gunes’ character directs his dialogue to different audiences. At times he talks to an unseen school counsellor who asks of him “what do you like about yourself?”, the answer to which is a warm but double-edged reflection on family, heritage, mental health, physicality, and sexuality. At times he speaks directly to the audience, bemoaning the constant feeling of “your eyes on me” while at the same time drawing strength and support from their presence. At times we see glimpses into an emerging, complex, presumably first relationship with a boyfriend. From a tentative meeting to the strains of Lady Gaga, to walks on the beach with a first cigarette, to the silken touch of a lover’s stomach, to struggles with understanding how to make a relationship work. All familiar challenges to 18 year-olds, presented here with urgency, clarity, and a kind of indignant honesty.
Between each vignette comes a short dream-like dance sequence. Most often these sequences see the character submerged underwater, convulsing to the rhythm of waves, and writhing as he struggles to surface for air. The movement design is effective in expressing the young man’s emotional state and desire for freedom. Occasionally it breaks the momentum of an already complex narrative structure.
If there is something missing in this self-assured early career piece, it is a sense of resolution. There is no hint of how Gunes’ internalised battle between mind, body, and soul will resolve, or indeed of what is at stake for the character if it does not. Ingrown is a thoughtful, kind, and intelligent reflection on a young life in flux which means we end up rooting for this character, even if we have no idea where on earth he is headed.
Writer: Emre Gunes
Director: Ellie Rose Amit
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