Part play, part drag king poetry-slam, Tessa Parr’s I Am Johnny is an intimate, uncomfortable and often hilarious exploration of toxic masculinity. Parr bounds onto the stage, a vision of slicked-back hair and painted abs - who may or may not have come straight from the gym. Absolutely committed to her portrayal of Johnny, Parr... Continue Reading →
Witty, bold and straight to the point, Lois-Amber Toole's solo show SLAY follows a lass from the North East as she tries to escape her traumatic past. Lois-Amber Toole. Photo credit: Steve Ullathorne. Armed with self-defence spray, a PTSD diagnosis and an accent that sometimes elicits condescension, Kit moves to London to try and build... Continue Reading →
A dark and disturbing thriller about siblings accused of a crime, Philip Stokes' This Is Not America is a challenging psychological drama with an exceptional central performance. Jack Stokes. Photo credit: Craig Lomas. Perhaps named for the David Bowie song of the same name, which offers a critical commentary on the American dream and political... Continue Reading →
Loosely based on Italo Calvino’s novel If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler, Gregory Nussen's surreal piece uses non-linear storytelling to examine politics, international relations, gender and queerness. Gregory Nussen. Photo credit Sonya Katarina. Trans multidisciplinary artist Nussen has clearly invested a huge amount of time and care in their reflection on Calvino's work. Named... Continue Reading →
A absurdist piece about the tension between following your creative dreams and finding ways to survive in the arts, TOAST is a impactful and at times surreal examination of navigating soulless systems, and what happens when the script runs out. Jude Green. Photo credit: Matt Norris Simply but skilfully staged, TOAST puts Jude Green's character... Continue Reading →
Three soldiers thrown together in the heat of war must come to terms with brutal realities, while also finding moments of connection. Barnaby Rothschild and Sebastian Barrett. Photo credit: Paul Stone. Inspired by his participation in the TV series "Churchill’s Secret Agents", writer Paul Stone began to research the experience of Indian Army and queer... Continue Reading →
An unusually personal and introspective show, Linus Karp shares his experience and the aftermath of being a victim of a queer hate crime. Awkward Prods are a fringe staple, award-winning producers of the camp creations Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story and Gwyneth Goes Skiing. The real-life events that this show is based on took… Continue Reading →
Thoroughly researched and deeply felt, Alistair Hall's Buggers is a unflinching look at the passionate, codependent and often violent relationship between artist Francis Bacon and his lover-muse George Dyer. Alistair Hall and Peter Clements. Photo credit: Giulia Ferrando. Structured like one of Bacon's triptychs, we absorb three snapshots in the men's eight year relationship: beginning,... Continue Reading →
She's here, she's queer, so you'd better get used to it. Fempaths: Transistor Radio Hour is an unashamedly political piece that uses LGBTQ+ history set to music to give voice to those that are often overlooked. Mari Moriarty. Photo credit: Queergarden. Kicking off with the radio style implied by the title, Fempath (Mari Moriarty), cellist... Continue Reading →
Examining the human condition and his own health conditions through facts about the natural world, Sam Morrison is an engaging performer with a broad range of material. Sam Morrison. Photo credit: Timothy Aarons. Following on from his critically acclaimed show Sugar Daddy, Morrison is back at the fringe to give us the lowdown on weird... Continue Reading →
