Ad Infinitum: No Kids at The Lowry
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
Should we have kids, or not? This is the pivotal question running through Ad Infinitum’s hilarious and thought-provoking play. The idea of starting a family is an agonising question faced by many couples, though for a same-sex couple the process is even more complex. No Kids invites the audience to confront this chaotic conundrum head-on. Cue – George Mann and Nir Paldi – a real-life same-sex couple who find themselves exploring the social apprehensions around same-sex parenting.
No Kids is a funny and upbeat demonstration of the modern-day quandary of whether or not to have children. George has been talking about having a baby since getting together with his partner, Nir. However, Nir has been considerably less keen on the idea. Both George and Nir find themselves in a battle to reconcile their hearts with their heads. By utilising fact and the flight of fiction, the show explores every consideration – from surrogacy and adoption to co-parenting and the environmental impact of childbirth; examining the ethical challenges, our fears and concerns, and how our past experiences govern our approach to parenting.
Most intelligently, No Kids gives didacticism a wide birth (pardon the pun) and it is anything but preachy. A wonderfully playful Madonna soundtrack keeps the storytelling bouncing along – fusing physical theatre with verbatim – their Vogue promises to be a real treat.
Hailing from Bristol, the multi-award-winning international ensemble Ad Infinitum will launch Contact’s new season In The City Part Three and the 2019 Queer Contact Festival, celebrating LGBTQ+ arts & culture in Greater Manchester. The company have been devising and touring socio-political theatre, and igniting passionate debate for over a decade. Led by Co-Artistic Directors, Mann and Paldi, the company draw on innovative storytelling and an experimental style to engage audiences with current issues.
Following the performance of No Kids on 1 February, there will be a post-show discussion.
