22-year-old Gethin shares his thoughts about seeing Everybody’s Talking About Jamie on opening night at Wales Millenium Centre.
What is the musical about?
Based on a true story, the musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie follows the story of Jamie, a very energetic, fun, and confidently queer character. The story centres around his journey of releasing the inner drag queen he has yet to discover.
We join Jamie’s story when he is confidently out to his friends and family and is never afraid to confront the people that try to use being gay against him. He faces many challenges throughout his journey of finding his drag character, but truly gets the confidence when he meets someone that inspires him and guides him (Loco Chanel). The storyline provides a chance to see how different cultures and people might not understand the world of drag but are willing to learn and adapt their way of thinking.
Rocky relationships
I found that the most interesting and emotional part of this musical was how different Jamie’s relationship was with his father and mother and how this can relate to so many people in the LGBTQ+ community. We witness the heart-warming relationship between Jamie and his mother, but also the heartbreaking relationship between Jamie and his dad.
The relationship between Jamie and his dad made me realise how lucky I was to have such an accepting family. I was worried about coming out to my parents as I did not know how they would react and I was afraid I would be an embarrassment, just like how Jamie was to his dad. Having a family that accepted me for who I truly was made the experience of coming out an easier one for me and I don’t think I would be this confident in myself if it wasn’t for them.
A relatable experience
My experience of being gay was fairly similar to Jamie’s experience. I came out when I was in school and everyone guessed before it was announced, so it did not really come as a shock to anyone.
During the performance, Jamie receives numerous homophobic insults which were very familiar to what I was experiencing growing up. Seeing this in the production took me back to my school years and reminded me of how far I have come.
During one scene, Jamie described himself as being ‘disgusting’ and ‘minging’ for being queer. This is how I felt at times after coming out. The hardest part of coming out for me was accepting myself.
In my school years, I felt pressure to fit in with others and I hid who I truly was. Jamie also struggles to accept himself as wanting to be a drag queen but we see how happy he is when he follows his dream. The musical focuses on the importance of being yourself and how difficult it can be to find your place in the world.
The curtain call
Throughout the performance, I felt a rollercoaster of emotions, shifting from laughing out loud to feeling really emotional. The production is overall very positive and a joyous experience, and one I would recommend to anyone even if you aren’t part of the LGBTQ+ community! It’s a great opportunity to learn about the experience of queer teens and offers an inside look at some very really real challenges that our community faces.
Related Information
LGBTQ+ and looking for support? Check out TheSprout’s LGBTQ+ info page to find local and national support.
If you want to talk to someone about any of the topics covered in this blog, you can talk to Meic. Meic is the helpline service for children and young people up to the age of 25 in Wales. You can contact Meic for free between 8AM and midnight by phone (0808 80 23456), text (84001), or by online chat.