In Tomboy Blues – The Theory of Disappointment two performers explore the nature of disappointment and tomboyish behaviour by trailing through their childhood memories, quoting cheesy movies, listening to music, and reading unreliable science books. We focus on the scientific fact that hope is intrinsically built into every human psyche, and that to have hope will unavoidably lead to disappointment. So for two tomboys trying to tell a love story about two girls wanting to dress and act like boys, struggling with their place in society, inevitably hope and disappointment are handed out in equal measure.
The performers frantically embody the space and keep the tempo high throughout, and there’s an amateurish quality to their performance register that adds to the boyish element of play being explored. The duo are honest in their tales as they play with underwear and Barbie dolls, but these theatrical representations feel obvious and a little clichéd, and the production is at its strongest when the pair focus on the loneliness of their situation: they embrace each other with such gentleness, allowing the moment to materialise with stillness and control. The awkward dance in the hideous pink dresses perfectly encapsulates the attitude of the whole production, equally representing the frigidity and happiness of their life choices. The performance fluctuates as they build up a sense of hope, which will only be met with disappointment, as the more pessimistic of the two interrupts the flow.
Productions exploring identity and otherness seem rife at the Fringe this year, but Tomboy Blues has a really charming and gentle quality, never preaching, as it reveals the realities of the performers’ lives.