MAN-CUB Returns to King's Head Theatre for Three Nights Only!

Following a sold out, critically acclaimed debut at the Etcetera Theatre, Man-Cub is back for a limited time. Featuring its original ensemble of nine, the show runs for only three performances at London's King's Head Theatre, on October 16, 18 and 20.

Both audience members and critics alike were raving about it last time, noting that Man-Cub is a "fearless and brave show" (The Actors Class), and that the piece is "intense for all the right reasons." (@Rose8191).

Matt Trueman, reviewing for WhatsOnStage said that Man-Cub "manages something rare in theatre." He called it "genuinely sexy; bare skin and sexy." The Spy in the Stalls called it a "visceral, animalistic masterclass" and A Younger Theatre said that the show was both "physically impressive" and "emotionally disturbing."

What is Man-Cub? Well, in a nutshell it is a devised queer adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, set in a gay nightclub, based on a young male's first night out. Here is a trailer for the show: https://vimeo.com/227769850

"[Mowgli] came named, by night, alone and very hungry; yet he was not afraid!"

Transformation. A mating ground. The sense of freedom and possibility. The desperation to control a need and suppress a fear. The shared experiences of alienation and rejection. A place of sex, substances and secrecy. A place where the law of the jungle rules over all. Man-Cub is a newly devised piece that blurs the lines of movement, theatre and personal politics.

Director Alistair Wilkinson has just completed an MA in Text and Performance at RADA and Birkbeck. He received his undergraduate from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and is an associate artist at the National Youth Theatre. It is from within NYT that he has cast his actors.

The ensemble includes Alex Britt, Michaela Mackenzie, Lizzie Manwaring, Andy McCredie, Rachel Moore, Drew Sheridan-Wheeler, Callum Tilling, Kamran Vahabi and Louise Waller. OutSavvy congratulated Wilkinson, saying that he had "brought together a cast that gels," noticing that "their energy and enthusiasm for the work is infectious."

When speaking about his collective, Wilkinson says the following:

"I was fortunate to meet and audition a lot of exciting actors, but then it was important to find a group of individuals that could work together as an ensemble. I wanted to form a group in which different energies would be allowed to flourish. It wasn't necessarily about writing a play, but creating an environment for material to be generated. I needed actors that were not afraid to question, and I owe a lot of gratitude to my cast, whose ability to challenge decisions with sensitivity and artistic clarity helped keep Man-Cub on track.

It was important to cast actors who were intelligent and impulsive - people who can react to what's going on in the room and be able to play and explore. The actors involved themselves in the discussions, so much so that the characters are bespoke tailor made to them - which creates an exciting feeling on stage. We found out about one another's life experiences and allowed the material to flow from that. Man-Cub isn't about being gay, but about being human in everyday life, and looking at how we deal with that."

Man-Cub runs for only three performances at the King's Head Theatre, so don't miss it. Discounted tickets are available by using the promotional code 'MANCUB25' when booking online. To book follow the link: https://kingsheadtheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/87358136

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