By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 8 February, opens 13 February and runs through 22 March 2025 RUNTIME: 165 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Bush Emerging Writers’ Group alumni Coral Wylie (pictured above right) writes and stars as 19-year-old Pip who identifies as non-binary, has dropped out of education and feels misunderstood by their parents.

• Read on for reasons including how there’s a big heart at the root of the show that deserves nourishing

Pip discovers a garish, 80s ski jacket they love and in a pocket a diary belonging to their father’s former best friend Duncan, or ‘D’, who died shortly after their birth in the 90s from HIV.

Omari Douglas (A Little Life, Harold Pinter Theatre) appears in flashback with a Midlands accent as Pip devours the diary and discovers someone who can understand how they feel while at the same time casting new light on their parents in their youth.

The titular Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet and Yew refers to D’s love of gardening taken on by Pip’s father Craig, an initially gruff and dismissive Wil Johnson, and eventually nurtured by Wylie’s questioning protagonist who finds a comfort in nature where plants can change sex in a day.

Pip’s mother Lorin, a warm and empathetic Pooky Quesnel, doesn’t fully understand Pip’s life choice but does her best to build a bridge between them and their struggling father.

Like the beautiful garden that reveals itself at the show’s close, Wylie’s play needs a little cutting back and pruning before its opening this week but there’s a big heart at the root of the show that deserves nourishing.

We love the choice of music throughout the show and if you’re seeking to evoke 80s and 90s gay life the Prince, Pet Shop Boys and Bronski Beat songs featured here are hard to beat.

Douglas’ ‘D’ has a love of life that is tragically cut short while living with Craig, Lorin and a young Pippa, while complaining his role in the relationship appears to help them to be able to communicate with each other better.

The twist we were expecting arrives but featuring an individual we weren’t thinking would be involved and Lavender proves itself a sensitive watch as warring characters find common ground in grief, memories and a ghost which has lessons to teach everyone present.

Douglas is 1 of our favourite actors but it’s writer/star Wylie who singles themself out as a name to look out for in the future.

• Main pictures via Facebook courtesy Bush Theatre Tickets
• Have you seen a Bush Theatre show before and what did you think of this 1? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
• Enjoyed this preview? Follow monstagigz on Twitter @NeilDurham, email neildurham3@gmail.com and check us out on Instagram and Facebook