5 Guys Chillin’: 29 October – 28 November, 10pm (Thurs – Sat)
F*cking Men: 5 December – 9 January
Due to popular demand, the King’s Head Theatre are proud to announce extensions to their 5-star “fan-f*cking-tastic” (CultureFly) production of F*cking Men and Peter Darney’s verbatim 4-star “brave, bold, and thoroughly raw-nerve” (British Theatre) 5 Guys Chillin’.
5 Guys Chillin’ is a graphic, gripping, funny and frank verbatim drama exposing the gay chill-out scene, and will now be playing late night dates through November as part of our new writing festival #Festival45. Reviews have described the show as “beautifully done, bold and tackles issues that hit home to many” (Gay Times) and “an absolute must see for anyone who goes to the theatre to feel stirred, provoked and who cares deeply about the socio-political issues within our society” (Top London Theatre).
Artistic director of the King’s Head Theatre, Adam Spreadbury-Maher, says “This play tackles the most serious, urgent gay men’s health crisis since the outbreak of HIV in the early 80s. HIV and hepatitis infections are on the rise again due to shared needle use and unprotected sex on the chill-out scene, causing a huge strain on individuals, communities and the NHS. From just 3 nights at the Brighton Fringe, we are now extending the show into a second month to keep the conversation going about this crisis. We’re so thrilled to be doing such important verbatim work.”
***** “The King’s Head Theatre continue to amaze and surprise with the shows they stage – this is one of the best” Stephen Vowles, Boyz
This will be followed, in December, by a restaging of the smash success F*cking Men, which has already extended once since our August production and will now be entering a third month. The production will be undergoing changes, retaining artistic elements while streamlining the show for a sustainable touring future that will continue to provide employment for the artists involved.
Adam says “This new production has been praised for its universality across sexual orientations. We’re proud to be producing gay theatre that speaks to a universal audience!”
Now in its 45th year, The King’s Head Theatre is celebrating this anniversary with an exciting new artistic policy after the departure of OperaUpClose, becoming a crucible for new writing and critical rediscoveries. Work from Irvine Welsh, Richard Cameron, Richard O’Brien and Arthur Miller, as well as Mike Bradwell directing for the first time since the 1970s, guarantees that if it’s on here, you won’t see it anywhere else. Led by Adam Spreadbury-Maher, second artistic director following Dan Crawford (who set up the King’s Head as the first pub theatre in 1970), the theatre is the first unfunded venue to have an Equity agreement to pay theatre-makers fair wages since 2011, and continues to do so despite receiving no public funding.