If you’ve been waiting for a slice of lesbian life served up on stage, or even if you haven’t, The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs is for you.
Imam Qureshi’s thoroughly entertaining and thought-provoking eight-hander which premiered at The Soho Theatre in 2022 is basically Stepping Out, but with singing instead of dancing.
A group of disparate lesbians (including usually in the cast trans actor Mariah Louca who was indisposed at the performance I saw, so the part was read from a prompt copy to great effect by associate director Yael Elisheva), meet up every Saturday to sing and socially interact, there being so few opportunities to do so in a safe space in their daily lives.
Under the guiding hand of OWL (Older Wiser Lesbian), Connie (Shuna Snow), we get to know and experience their views, loves, and differences, together with their interactions with a range of men (all played by Zak Ghazi-Torbati), as they get the chance to open the main stage at Pride and decide as the UK’s only fully lesbian choir they need a new name to reflect their status, and settle on The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs.
Their performance at Pride is joyous and life affirming, though something that happens there – which I won’t divulge – fairly or unfairly, depending on your point of view, lays the seeds of what happens in act two.
There’s a lot to unpack about the sexual politics of the play which I won’t delve too deeply into – go and see it for yourself – but I think where it triumphs is in creating believable characters.
Perhaps having Connie (the wonderful Shuna Snow) as the protagonist rather than having an ensemble piece might have aided the storytelling, as she’s by far the most interesting character, but that’s a personal choice. Connie is also by far the most energetic, to great comic effect, and anyone who’s ever, as I have, sung in choirs will recognise her energetic, educated, musical archetype immediately.
Liz Carr as Fi brings her usual impeccable comic timing to the frustrations of a wheelchair user in a world with so many barriers. Fanta Barrie is hilarious as the rather predatory Ellie. Leah Harvey’s ‘sporty’ Lori transforms before our eyes, though you do have to wonder how she ever ended up with the rather dour and needy Ana (Georgie Henley). But then who can predict anything as far as love is concerned? Serena Manteghi’s Dina is perhaps the saddest. Locked into a relationship she can’t escape for various reasons, one of them being the wonderful Zak Ghazi-Torbati who plays everything from evil husband, to ignorant drunk, to twinky waiter.
I think if I have one criticism (and it’s fairly minor, as I loved the play and had a great time) it’s that gay men, and gay men’s groups, are branded as being un-inclusive, if that’s a word. That may be true of some of them, but I know for a fact that for twenty years The London Gay Men’s Chorus has welcomed members who are not from London, gay, or men for that matter.
Designer Anna Reid has given the set a convincing ‘village hall’ vibe, and the rather cinematic idea of having Dina’s house behind the curtains works well, as does the pub interior created with just a table and an overhead light.
Oh, one last thing. The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs is a choir that actually sings, and there’s music throughout the play, including a very entertaining mash up of Carmina Burana and a song about wanting pussy…
What can I say? I laughed. I cried. I loved it.
Writer: Iman Qureshi
Director: Hannah hauer-King
Cast: Fanta Barrie, Liz Carr, Zak Ghazi-Torbati, Leah Harvey, Georgie Henley, Mariah Louca (read at this performance by Yael Elisheva), Serena Manteghi, Shuna Snow
Until: 12th July 2025
Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes including 1 x 20 minute interval
Date Seen: Monday 1st July 2025