The simple act of waiting in line has become the unlikely inspiration behind The Queer in the Queue, a new play written by Jason Wheeler, from Fourways, to reflect on love, identity, and the struggles of navigating a world that often demands patience from those who are different.

“I was inspired by queues,” said Wheeler. “The concept of waiting in a queue is somewhat reflective of life, and the waiting one has to do.”

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For him, the image of waiting resonates so much with queer people’s experience, due to waiting for acceptance, recognition, or even basic rights.

Drawing from his personal journey as a gay man, alongside the stories of others in the LGBTQ+ community, Wheeler has crafted a narrative that is both intimate and universal. He said, at its heart, the play wrestles with themes of identity, memory, and family.

Wheeler said growing up queer often means concealing parts of oneself to survive. He said those buried truths inevitably shape choices and relationships later in life. “Family relationships are complicated and, in the play, I depict a father who would rather pretend his queer son was dead than meet him halfway.”

He said it’s a reality for many, depicting the heartbreak of rejection, but also the resilience of those who continue to live fully in spite of it. “I believe my purpose, as a theatre maker, is to take LGBTQ+ stories and give them the light they need. For me, storytelling is storytelling, whether the play is about a gay or straight couple. At the end of the day, we are all humans, and we have more in common than what we are made to believe.

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“A lot of theatres and spaces are somewhat hesitant to stage queer works, as some audiences are still not comfortable with it. That is really sad, as it doesn’t create a platform for storytelling to facilitate learning or acceptance to create change or understanding.”

He said, his mission is to bring LGBTQ+ stories into the spotlight, even in spaces where theatres remain hesitant to stage queer works. “I hope queer audiences feel recognised and affirmed, seeing their own experiences of navigating law and bureaucracy reflected on stage. For wider audiences, I want the play to open a window into those realities, which could possibly spark conversations with people they might not usually engage with, fostering empathy, and reminding us all that kindness toward those who have been othered costs nothing.

“Above all, the play is a celebration of queerness, showing that, despite the world’s attempts to dim our light, the LGBTQIA+ community continues to exist and strive to survive.”
The show will be performed by Luke Ness from October 2 to 5 at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg.

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