Highlights include three new Queer Play Reading Club sessions in partnership with Nick Hern Books, bringing audiences together with queer playwrights to explore their texts, as well as a live recording of The Show People Podcast with Eastender’s star Cheryl Fergison.
Queer Theatre, the award winning LGBTQIA+ theatre and production company, has confirmed a Summer and Autumn season of artist development, live performance,
play readings, podcast events and community gatherings across London.
The company will continue with its Queer Play Reading Club in partnership with Nick Hern
Books, celebrating LGBTQIA+ playwriting in a supportive environment. On
Tuesday 21st July, award-winning playwright Tabby Lamb will join the session to discuss her
joyful trans rom-com Happy Meal.
On the 18th August, playwright Iman Qureshi joins Andrew to share her
heartfelt story The Funeral Director that premiered at Southwark Playhouse in 2018. Qureshi’s play explores Ayesha’s life as the director of a Muslim funeral parlour in an incisive story of sexuality, gender and religion in twenty-first-century Britain. Rounding off this season of Queer Play Reading Club on Tuesday 15th September is playwright Tom Wells with a special virtual appearance to discuss his much-loved comedy Jumpers For Goalposts.
Meanwhile, the award-winning The Show People Podcast continues its residency at the Two Brewers with a live recording featuring the beloved actor Cheryl Fergison in conversation with Andrew Keates on Wednesday 12th August. Best known for her iconic portrayal of Heather Trott in EastEnders, Cheryl joins the podcast for an in-depth discussion exploring her remarkable life and career across television, theatre, music and writing. Further guests will be announced across the Summer.
Alongside this is a range of social events designed to bring LGBTQIA+ artists and allies together outside traditional theatre spaces. This includes London Trans+ Pride on Saturday 25th July, celebrating the diversity of voices in London’s community. Celebrations continue in September as Queer Theatre marks its second birthday with Luvvie: The Party For Queer People in the Performing Arts on Friday 11th September, bringing together LGBTQIA+ creatives and allies across the industry to connect, build friendships and dance until
late.
The company’s hugely popular OutCast Showcase returns on Wednesday 29th July, once again bringing together performers of all experience levels, from emerging to established, alongside exciting new writing in an evening celebrating the breadth and brilliance of LGBTQIA+ voices.
In addition, the season sees the return of popular The Big Queer Theatre Variety Night on
Friday 2nd October, an exuberant celebration of outrageous cabaret, drag, standup and much
more.
As part of the company’s commitment to strengthen connections within the community, Queer Theatre launches its Summer Picnic and Optional Swim on Hampstead Heath on Saturday 15th August, creating a relaxed event for queer people to spend time together outside in one of London’s most iconic parks.
Artistic Director of Queer Theatre, Andrew Keates, comments, “It is one of the great privileges of my life to serve this diverse company of LGBTQIA+ artists, which I founded nearly two years ago. Every week, Queer Theatre fills LGBTQIA+ venues with emerging, professional and returning theatre-makers through our Acting Classes for LGBTQIA+ People, Luvvie: The Party for Queer People in the Performing Arts, and our Queer Play Reading Club, which connects our community with some of the finest queer writers in the UK. Our showcases and variety nights are already helping brilliant queer talent in London gain exposure, secure work, find representation and access new creative opportunities.
And as the temperature continues to rise for LGBTQIA+ people in this country, we continue to march at Pride events shoulder to shoulder with the friends we have made by choosing to show up for one another, play together and refuse to be alone.”
To find out more visit: https://www.queertheatre.co.uk/