Taylah Whelan - Happy Birthday Taylah Whelan

On the cusp of her 26th birthday, Taylah Whelan drinks ‘the drink that makes you reminisce’. What follows is a tour of major birthdays past, with scenes changing to the cue of ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ by The Beach Boys. It’s a whirlwind of nostalgia that hits every gay-person-born-around-the-millennium’s core memory: One Direction fanfiction, unretired crushes, confusion and loneliness.

Tying it all together is some delightful use of props and stage effects. It's a one-woman show brought to life with the help of pre-recorded dialogue, where special mention must go to the puppet of Taylah Whelan's cat Elvis. Designed by Max Arnold and voiced by Elliot Wood Elvis is Taylah's fifth birthday present and constant companion, brought to life with animatronic eyes and some of the show's best dialogue. The production is backed by witty, thoughtful, occasionally offbeat writing, the kind of empathetic comedy that made me laugh throughout and shed tears more than once. 

Painful but funny anecdotes about growing up are a staple of comedy, and storytelling more broadly. Whelan takes this well-trodden territory and places a distinct stamp on it. This was a treat to see!