From a Celine Dion drag tribute to gay giraffes…
Seven Dials Playhouse has today announced the launch of its inaugural Pride Season which will open this June; a programme of new work and returning hits, led by LGBTQIA+ artists, including a cowboy-clown mashup, a Celine Dion drag tribute, and a nature documentary cabaret exploring queer animal behaviour which features dolphin orgies, gay giraffes and intersex snails.
The Pride season spans absurdity, intimacy and celebration and marks the beginning of a bold new programming model at Seven Dials Playhouse – curated, collaborative, and rooted in artist support. This ambitious new chapter focuses on strengthening the theatre’s commitment to artistic development with a carefully selected programming model and expanded support initiatives for theatre makers and performers.
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Highlights of the Pride season include the first London run of BI-TOPIA, a coming-of-age solo show exploring bisexuality, masculinity and mental health, written and performed by Sam Danson and directed by Rikki Beadle-Blair MBE.
There is clown-cum-cowboy chaos in Lil Wenker’s BANGTAIL fusing British and American clowning in a riotous showdown. Queer Planet, a nature documentary cabaret from drag king Bi-Curious George, blends stand-up, songs and science in a wild exploration of queerness across the animal kingdom.
Meanwhile, drag vocalist Moira Less takes on Celine Dion in My Heart Will Go On, a celebration of the icon’s greatest hits. Finally, Jock Night – a bold, high-energy five-hander produced by Hive North and written by Queer as Folk’s Adam Zane – returns to The House following a sell-out run in 2023.
Fresh from a run at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre, Jock Night dives deep into a year of nights out and intimate encounters in the heart of Manchester’s Gay Village, fuelled by sex, drugs and jockstraps. But beneath the hedonism lies a quietly radical narrative – one that explores the transformative power of the U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) campaign and the extraordinary progress in HIV treatment.
With humour and heart, Jock Night challenges outdated stigmas and celebrates a generation rewriting the rules of queer intimacy. David Paisley reprises his role from the original production – the actor and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights now brings even more fire to this unflinching exploration of queer identity, desire and community.
Alongside these there are work-in-progress performances from comedians and theatre-makers exploring themes of identity, relationships, and community. With a mix of new work and established shows, the Pride programme reflects a broad spectrum of LGBTQIA+ experiences.
Two shows featured in the Pride season; BANGTAIL and Queer Planet were previously part of 2024’s “7from7”, an accelerator programme run by Seven Dials Playhouse in partnership with Pleasance Theatre Trust which supports seven theatre companies taking work to the Edinburgh Festival each year. The scheme offers free rehearsal space and mentorship from industry professionals.
The Pride Season will launch with Jock Night (The House) AND Andrew Doherty (The Pen) on 3rd June and will run until the 22nd June. Tickets and more information: https://www.sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk/
