SMOKE Comes to Kings Head Theatre in November

Premiering his new solo queer thriller Smoke, playwright and performer Alexis Gregory (Riot Act; Future Queer) returns to Kings Head Theatre for a limited run to investigate the blur between reality and fantasy in this post-truth era.  Packed with dark humour and suspense, this rollercoaster of a piece presents a comedic thriller that homes in on how today’s modern landscape may impact our grasp on reality, uncovering a hidden world within the everyday.  Joined by acclaimed film and theatre director Campbell X (award-winning feature film Stud Life; DES!RE; My White Best Friend, Royal Court Theatre) Smoke removes the theatrics to offer audiences an intimate conversation in Gregory’s most brutally honest and raw piece yet. 

In this stripped-back, plot-driven production we follow just Alex, his mobile phone, and his story.  Smoke explores being a man, being queer, and how unexpectedly being haunted in the digital era by an ex-partner can suddenly spiral into a twisted thriller of clashing realities and uncertain truths.  When Alex receives a private Instagram message from his now deceased ex-boyfriend’s account, he finds himself trailing both old leads and new in a haphazard and dangerous attempt to uncover the truth.  Smoke confronts today’s obsession with self-documentation, drugs, paranoia, and living and dying in the digital age – when privacy seems an archaic concept, where do we draw the line? 

Based on the writer’s own experiences and observations, this one-man piece presents a hard-hitting exploration of an extreme and hidden aspect of queer life in 2024, using sharp humour to face this era of conspiracy theories and high surveillance.  After being hacked himself, Gregory’s own visceral experiences tracing how the invasion of privacy happened, influenced the development of this fast-paced production, as well as his experiences on the LGBTQ+ scene. 

Writer and performer Alexis Gregory comments, This show explores some very contemporary issues in our society.  It is a real departure for me as I’ve never presented a play like this; writing, performance, and staging-wise, and I’m so pleased to have Campbell, one of my favourite artists, on board to direct.  He had an innate understanding of this project from the outset, and the intimate space of 4BELOW is perfect for the experience we’re creating for the Smoke audience.

Director Campbell X also comments, Smoke deals with the disintegration of masculinity and the impact on queer men in today's culture.  I've admired Alexis’ work for many years and something I'm particularly interested in is the raw honesty of it, so I welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with him on this project.

Investigating heavy themes of psychosis and exposure in today’s media, Smoke is ultimately an uplifting piece about survival and - through the voice of an unreliable narrator - asks us to consider the ramifications of succumbing to digital advancements, and what really happens when the party is over.

Social commentary meets social comedy in this kaleidoscopic exploration of queer relationships, obsession and distrusting isolation in this era of connectivity.  

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