You remember 2020. Some of us made sourdough starters, whipped coffee, or downloaded TikTok for the first time. Like many, Freddie Love was battling loneliness. Though COVID amplified this feeling, it wasn’t new: being a trans artist in Oklahoma meant Freddie was familiar with isolation. Freddie Love’s legendary drag mother, The World Famous *BOB*, proposed a solution: find your transcestors. Surely, they existed, somehow, somewhere nearby. We know we’ve always been here. You’re not alone.
Freddie then embarked on a journey to re-discover the lost stories of transgender people in the Old West. In their research, they discovered Joe Monahan and soon after, Harry Allen. Suddenly, while the world stood still, Freddie was in good company. Now, Freddie wants to share these stories the best way they know how: on stage. Thus, Queer Cowboys was born.
“Freddie Love is fantastic…”
Broadway World
A campy campfire cabaret, Queer Cowboys is a semi-autobiographical play that excavates two true forgotten stories of the Old West: Harry Allen and Little Joe Monahan, transgender cowboys. With beloved country jams performed by a live band, Harry and Joe are brought back to life.
View this post on Instagram
When I asked Freddie who this show was for, the answer was everyone. No producer or marketer wants to hear this, we want to find our niche and make the best use of it. But after digging deeper, I understood Freddie meant it with their whole heart. Queer Cowboys is for trans people who haven’t had the chance to learn their history; it’s for people who aren’t queer and want a welcoming environment to learn more; it’s for people who had to make their own home in lands far away, like Freddie has in London; it’s for people who aspire to bite cops; it’s for people who worry that they will be forgotten, and it’s reassurance that you won’t be.
“Totally at home on stage, a joy to watch and a real star in the making”
British Theatre
Queer Cowboys is written and performed by West End star and wannabe cowboy, Freddie Love (Just For One Day, But I’m a Cheerleader). Musical Director Olivia Zacharia unites the talents of Freddie Love,and the band with Migdalia Van Der Hoven, and Ross McTeague to bring you all your favourite country songs – with a gay twist. Or were they always gay? Cult-gay-basement-theatre-legend, Charles Quittner directs this poignant and campy show with Elliot Aitken as Assistant Director. George Jones works set design and props, to transform the space into a campfire evening of storytelling. Eden Tredwell writes an original theme song you’ll sing on the way home.
This show is produced by Yasmin Mehboob-Khan. We hope to see you soon, partners!
“Operatic and smouldering”
The Stage
“Freddie Love’s stage presence is truly a wonder to behold, and their exceptional voice sounds rich and melodious”
Musical Theatre Review
Queer Cowboys runs from 1 – 4 August 2024 at King’s Head Theatre, 115 Upper Street, London N1 1QN, United Kingdom.
