Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet, Yew
Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet , Yew – Coral Wylie’s debut play explores queerness, grief, and generational connections through gardening’s transformative power. At Bush theatre, London from 8th Feb – 22nd March. Tickets:https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/event/lavender-hyacinth-violet-yew/
Wylie, a nonbinary writer, developed the play while part of Bush Theatre’s Young Company. Their Instagram reflects a deep love for nature, much like Pip, the play’s main character. Pip, a queer teen, inherits a jacket once owned by Duncan, a gay man who died of AIDS in the 1990s. Inside, they find Duncan’s diary, detailing his love for gardening and his bond with Pip’s father, Craig.
The play shifts between 2013 and 1993, showing Pip’s search for identity and Duncan’s life. Actor Omari Douglas, who plays Duncan, emphasizes its themes of loss, identity, and connection. Craig struggles with Pip’s queerness but once shared an easy, warm friendship with Duncan. The play challenges stereotypes, depicting black men’s deep relationship with nature. Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet, Yew runs at London’s Bush Theatre from February 8 to March 22.