BRAWN, Mediocre White Male and Bi Bi Baileigh are Boys! Boys! Boys!

BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! is the summer season of one-man shows at the King’s Head Theatre in Islington. Five shows with men at their centre take to the stage in a lineup curated by some of the UK’s brightest female producers. Biography, queer history, toxic masculinity and culture wars all come under the microscope – with brand new world premieres sitting alongside some of the hottest Edinburgh and London smash hits. It’s time to see masculinity in a whole new light.

BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! King’s Head Theatre, 2 Aug – 10 Sep

They’ve run two out of the five shows, namely Jarman and Quentin Crisp : Naked Hope, both of which star Mark Farrelly as the main character. Jarman is about Derek Jarman: film-maker, painter, gardener at Prospect Cottage, activist and writer. Mark Farrelly brings Derek back into being for a passionate, daring reminder of the courage it takes to truly live while you’re alive. The current production of Jarman is up for two Off West End Awards for both lead performance and sound design! Equally stunning is Quentin Crisp : Naked Hope. Quentin Crisp who was one of the most memorable figures of the twentieth century. Openly gay as early as the 1930s, Quentin spent decades being beaten up on London’s streets for refusing to be anything less than himself. His courage, and the philosophy that evolved from those experiences, inspire to the present day.

Tickets to Jarman and Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope are available here: https://kingsheadtheatre.com/news-blog/boys-boys-boys

Check out these stage shots on our QX Instagram account …

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Quentin Crisp meets Derek Jarman!

 

Three other productions will join the Boys! Boys! Boys! season this week, and QX took the actors away from their busy schedule for a quick round of questions. 

QX: Which actor is in which show…

Christopher Wollaton – BRAWN

Will Close – Mediocre White Male

Isaac Verrall –  Bi Baileigh

Introduce us to your character…

Christopher Wollaton: Ryan is a 20-something-year old who has finally found a girl that founds him and spends his days obsessively working out in his dad’s garage, eating broccoli and chicken…

Will Close: An actor who dresses up like a statue to spook unimpressed tourists. A summer job he got when he was 19, and never left. He’s the guy who never left home.

Isaac Verrall: Baileigh is a veterinary student who wants to settle down with a husband. He’s smart, a little bit boring, gay and most importantly of all, a proud Essex boy.

What was your inspiration?

Christopher Wollaton: Getting into weight lifting myself and feeling the desire to get stronger and also the media, especially all the buff and pretty actors. It feels like this is how men value themselves: by being strong as a way of being good enough.

Will Close: The toppling of Colston’s statue, both series of Fleabag and a large supply of Pringles.

Isaac Verrall: There can’t be a harder (and funner!) challenge for an actor than having to capture an audience for an hour, so I thought I’d have a go at writing my own one man show.

Can you sum up the show in one word?

Christopher Wollaton: Boiling

Will Close: Troubling?

Isaac Verrall: [A] Laugh.

How important was it for this show to be part of Boys Boys Boys Festival?

Christopher Wollaton: The festival’s title of Boys Boys Boys is the very essence of who Ryan really is – it’s that boy beneath all the sweat and muscle who we really want to get to know.

Will Close: Very, especially as part of a festival which is exploring so many compelling facets of masculinity. 

Isaac Verrall: So important. Boys Boys Boys festival wouldn’t have happened without the Girls Girls Girls behind it…

It’s just you on stage in a one-man show – any pre-show rituals?

Christopher Wollaton: Lots of water, stretching, tongue twisters, and bouncing on my toes, think of a pre boxing match warm up! 

Will Close: I listen to The National, have a long, black coffee and try (and fail) to relax.

Isaac Verrall: Hope I don’t fuck it up…

gay London theatre

Discount to Boys! Boys! Boys! at the Kings Head Theatre, 16 August – 10 September

Bi-boys, bad-boys, biographies and bodies. Join the Kings Head Theatre this summer as they peel back the masc of masculinity. Five shows with men at their centre take to the stage in a lineup curated by some of the UK’s brightest female producers. Biography, queer history, toxic masculinity and culture wars all come under the microscope – with brand new world premieres sitting alongside some of the hottest Edinburgh and London smash hits. It’s time to see masculinity in a whole new light.

DISCOUNT: Check out more Boys! Boys! Boys! with our Festival Pass! Just use the discount code FESTIVAL at checkout to get £3 off two shows, £5 off three shows, £6.50 off four shows and £8 off all five shows. BUY DISCOUNT TICKETS HERE

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