The White Bear Theatre in Kennington to Present GAY GENERATIONS

The White Bear Theatre in Kennington will present GAY GENERATIONS, an exciting double bill of brand new one act plays by Michael McManus (writer of Maggie & Ted) and Charlie Ross MacKenzie (stand-up comedian, author and broadcaster) from 24th - 28th August.

Features a stellar cast...

Daniel Cornish: Maggie & Ted (Garrick Theatre) and The Good Scout (Above The Stag); Brandon Gale: Saturday Night Fever (UK and International Tour) and Eugenius (London Palladium); Dickon Farmar: About 500 (The Barbican) and Holding The Man (Brockley Jack) and Ed O'Connor who makes his professional London stage début, star in A Certain Term by Michael McManus and I F****n Love You with the play's writer, Charlie Ross MacKenzie.

There will be a Fundraising Gala Night with Special Guest Peter Tatchell on Friday 27th August at 7:00pm. Funds raised will go towards making sure the actors are paid fairly for their work. There will be a drinks reception, knockout raffle prizes and a Q&A with Peter Tatchell and the writers.

A Certain Term by Michael McManus, is a deeply moving piece focusing on an earlier pandemic - the HIV-AIDS pandemic. I F****n Love You by Charlie Ross MacKenzie is a light-hearted piece about the perils of overthinking in bed at night; after all, sleep is difficult when you are prone to overthinking things!

Introducing the cast.....

DANIEL CORNISH (Joe, "A Certain Term")

Trained at Guildford School of Acting. Theatre includes: Maggie and Ted (Garrick Theatre); Will Parrish in The Good Scout (Above the Stag - nomination for an Off West End Award for "Male Performance in a Play") and The Little Prince (Vienna's English Theatre). Television includes: Doctors (BBC). Other credits include: short film Headache alongside actress Kate Duchêne; a rehearsed reading of Fragments by Ian Hallard and an online production of After You by Brendan Murray, as part of Hog In the Limelight's lockdown series. Daniel is thrilled finally to be back on stage and sharing the space with other actors and a real audience.

BRANDON GALE (Simon, "I F****in Love You")

Trained at Arts Educational Schools. Theatre includes: Tainted - A New Musical (Workshop, White Bear Theatre); Saturday Night Fever (UK & International Tour); Madagascar The Musical (UK Tour); When Harry Met Barry (Above the Stag); Eugenius (London Palladium). Television: The Royals (E! Network).

DICKON FARMAR (Graham, "A Certain Term")

Dickon has previously appeared in About 500 at the Barbican; Holding The Man at The Brockley Jack; Travels Around My Room at the Tower Theatre. Other roles include: Henry Higgins in Pygmalion; Scullery in Road; Gideon in Table; Thomas Cromwell Wolf Hall - both in London and at the Minack Theatre; Ken Harrison in Whose Life is it Anyway?" and Krogstad in A Doll's House. He has also appeared in the commercial for Look after My Bills, as the lead in the band Autoheart's music video for "My Hallelujah" and the short films: The Wind Cries, Wimmelbuch and Dashing Through the Snow.

Ed O'Connor (Robert, "A Certain Term")

Originally from Cambridgeshire, Edward, 22, has just graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and is delighted to be making his professional début with this exceptional piece of new writing.

CHARLIE ROSS MACKENZIE (Adrian and writer - "I F****n Love You")

Charlie Ross MacKenzie is a stand-up comedian, writer and broadcaster. He has written and performed in numerous well-received shows, which have been performed at the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival and on tour. He has frequently presented programmes for BBC Radio Scotland, including co-presenting the award-winning Macaulay And Co with broadcasting legend Fred MacAulay. His book Smiles and Tribulations: A Comedian's Tale was published in 2010. He has also written for BBC TV's River City. I F****n Love You is his first play, and he is delighted to present it at the White Bear Theatre.

This double bill was originally scheduled to be staged in March 2020 but fell prey to the pandemic. In the interim, both plays have been given successful rehearsed performances on Zoom.

A Certain Term will be directed by Bryan Hodgson - Tommy on Top (Above the Stag); Elegies for Angels, Punks & Raging Queens (Union Theatre - Off West End nomination for Best Director), and Salad Days (Union Theatre, Bath Theatre Royal & UK Tour). I F****n Love You will be directed by Oliver McFadden - (Fugue/Chapters Unveiled, The Story Machine, Mary's Works, Norwich; Sexual Fears of a Modern Day Virgin (Lantern Theatre, ACT Brighton and Greenside Infirmary).

Michael McManus (Writer - "A Certain Term" & Director - "I F****in Love You")

Michael's first play, An Honourable Man, had two successful runs at the White Bear in 2018, and has been published by Playdead Press. His second, Maggie and Ted, had a sell-out trial week at the White Bear in October 2019. In June this year it had two sold-out nights at the Garrick Theatre and it will now run for a full week at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford, from 12th -16th October. With co-writer Charlie Ross MacKenzie, musical director Matt Malone and director Bryan Hodgson, Michael has also been working on a new musical featuring the songs of Marc Almond and Soft Cell, which had a successful showcase at The Vaults in London in October 2018 (produced by Michael). He made his professional stage début at the White Bear in September 2020, playing the legendary actor-manager Sir Donald Wolfit in his new play (written during the first lockdown) The Trial of Donald Wolfit. A Certain Term, his third play, was just going into rehearsal in March 2020 for a one-week run at the White Bear Theatre, when the first lockdown began.

Performance dates and times are as follows:

Tuesday 24 August, 7.15pm
Wednesday 25 August, 7.15pm
Thursday 26 August, 7.15pm
Friday 27 August - Special Gala Performance at 7:00pm
Saturday 28 August - 2.30pm and 7.15pm

The double bill, including interval, is expected to last around 2 hours in total.

Please note that the White Bear Theatre continues to operate as a COVID-secure venue, with reduced capacity, a free-flow air system that constantly brings in clean, fresh air from outside, paper-free ticketing and temperature checks at the door. You will be requested to wear a mask throughout both plays.

Tickets are available now, via this link:
https://www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk/whatson/Gay-Generations

Please come - it'll make you laugh and cry, maybe even at the same time!

Standard Tickets: £18 (£12 concessions)
Special Gala Performance: £50. Ticket price includes a wine reception, unique raffle prizes and a special, post-show Q&A with the creative team and special guest of honour Peter Tatchell.
Ticket Bookings: https://www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk/whatson/Gay-Generations
Box Office: 0333 012 4963
Address: 138 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4DJ
Social Media
Twitter: @gaygenerations1
Facebook: @WhiteBearTheatre

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