Gay men are disproportionately affected by homelessness, and many seek refuge in saunas – they’re warm, convenient and often cheaper than hostels or hotels.
Directed by Vicky Moran, new play “No Sweat” tells the stories of some of these men, through the a combination of lived experiences of the production’s cast and creatives, verbatim interview clips and an original score. It has been created in collaborated with members of the LGBTQI+ ex/homeless community.
It’s an immersive experience, with designers transforming the Pleasance Theatre space into a fully realised sauna set complete with locker rooms, toilets, towels and benches.
Throughout the course of the evening we’ll meet Tristan; made to feel like a monster whose toothbrush had to be kept a safe distance from his family’s, Charlie; a Pakistani Asylum seeker, fighting to prove his sexuality to gain citizenship, and Alf; whose Mummy loves him but God doesn’t, so he was left with only one option…to run.
The cast features three of the UK’s most exciting actors emerging on screen and television; Denholm Spurr (Tristan) who has his own experience of homelessness, best known for The Grass is Always Grindr; Manish Gandhi (Charlie) a TV and Theatre actor with credits ranging from Hallelujah at Bridge Theatre to BBC’s Silent Witness; and James Haymer (Alf), an in demand associate artist of Hampstead Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre, Roundhouse and Cardboard Citizens.
Under our current government, things are looking bad for homeless people, particularly LGBT people – so learning about and identifying with the issues facing them is more important than ever.
No Sweat is at The Pleasance Theatre, N7 9EF. Tickets available at qxtickets.com.
