Who are Lara Ciulli and Riana White, the duo behind Those People? Are they long-term best friends? Old lovers? Housemates? Soulmates destined to be together? Or are they simply taking us along for a tremendous, high-speed sketch ride? Whatever the truth, this debut about queer female friendship piques our interest, keeps us guessing and inspires more than enough speculation long after they take their bow.
There’s real talent here, too. Ciulli and White are immensely watchable, with faces as expressive as Play-Doh and killer moves at every turn. For much of the show, the two slide over each other to create visions of their co-dependency. In flashes, we see their past relationships and breakups: one of Ciulli’s exes shows her a porn video while they’re in bed; White’s ex refuses to return her favourite Calvin Klein boxer pants, despite many requests. They morph into the bodies of men, all grunts and wide stances. Then they step out of the show to bicker with each other. The dazzling Ciulli launches herself into a naked, expressive dance. “You’re being selfish,” Riana replies.