In an interview with Finn Beames about his debut production, *Quiet Songs*, currently showing at the Barbican in London, the writer, director, and composer discussed the intricacies of his semi-autobiographical tale. Starring the Oscar-nominated Ruth Negga as the Boy, the play explores the challenges of a queer adolescent grappling with identity and acceptance in a rigid educational environment.
Beames described the show’s opening scene, which features a string quartet in school uniforms using their bows to scrape against swords while the Boy recounts his anxieties about school bullies who taunt him for his changing voice. “It’s a slight but strange undertaking, capturing that uncomfortable transition from childhood to adolescence,” he noted. Negga’s performance straddles the line between youthful awkwardness and teenage self-awareness, as she gracefully navigates the bare stage, revealing the struggles of a character torn between societal norms and personal truths.
At the heart of *Quiet Songs* lies a straightforward narrative, adorned with layers of complexity. Beames explained how the Boy feels isolated at his regressive school due to the sound of his voice. “There’s this underlying wish to bypass the awkward phase of change to blend in and keep his emerging desires under wraps,” he emphasized. “But taking control of his narrative leads to unintended consequences.”
The production, while ambitious, has moments that some might find distracting. Beames acknowledged that the use of swords—both as props and symbols—along with elaborate choreographed movements, can momentarily divert attention from the core storyline. The lighting, designed by Bethany Gupwell, shifts dramatically from the starkness of a classroom to complete darkness, which at times obscures Negga’s performance.
However, Beames remarked on the moments when the quartet plays in harmony with Negga’s character, creating an almost hypnotic experience. “There’s a poignant sequence where the underscoring enhances the Boy’s narration of a crush, cycling through excitement to longing, and then to painful humiliation,” he said. “These moments resurrect the raw, tumultuous feelings of adolescence and highlight the potential dangers that accompany unfulfilled desires.”
Despite its flaws, Beames expressed hope that *Quiet Songs* resonates with audiences, presenting a heartfelt narrative that may sometimes feel unsteady, but captures the essence of a significant coming-of-age journey. The show runs at the Barbican until November 2nd.
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