Paper Mug Theatre in association with Theatre503
£12 Conc. / £15 Adult / ‘Pay What You Can’ Sat. Matinee
RUNNING TIME/NOTICES: 60mins (no interval) / contains scenes of a Sexual Nature, Scenes of Violence, Strong Language/Swearing, Other Simulated drug use, partial nudity (boxers)
Rory Thomas-Howes’ A Partnership, directed by Josh Tucker and starring two LGBTQ+ performers, is a real-time comedy-drama examining internalised homophobia. Following its multiple 5-star run at Edinburgh Fringe 2019, where it won the ‘Best Fringe Debut’ award from Theatre Weekly, featured on The List’s ‘Top 10 LGBTQ+ Shows’ and was shortlisted for the Sit-Up Award, this ‘biting, intuitive, engaging two-hander’ (The Stage) addresses the mundane, morose and magnificent aspects of love between two men.
This tragi-comic play follows Ally (Ben Hadfield) and Zach (Rory Thomas-Howes) in real time – the hour before Ally’s 30th birthday – finally confronting the issues and lies in their five-year relationship. Zach’s internalised homophobia highlights the strain modern gay men are under to conform to society’s ideal relationship, and the pitfalls of trying to be normal. A non-stop conversation with no scene breaks, other characters or time-jumps, A Partnership is a tribute to the importance of honesty in any relationship.
Rory Thomas-Howes
A a queer actor/writer based in London with a bent on creating intimate stories for unheard minorities.
Graduate of the prestigious Acting and Contemporary Theatre course at East 15 Acting School, chosen representative for the Sam Wanamaker Festival 2019 and winner of the Lilian Baylis Award, I have written and performed for the National Youth Theatre and internationally. A Midlands boy and proud of it, I aim to tackle society’s relationship with inequality in my work, and find love, pain and drama in the mundane.
"Thomas-Howe’s play deals with a subtler hatred: an internalised homophobia. The play commendably unpacks prejudice that lurks in the shadows." ★★★★ (BroadwayBaby - William Leckie)
"This is an incredibly astute piece of modern theatre, examining a 21st century relationship through the lens of the people living it. Funny, shocking, and a vitally important piece of LGBTQ+ writing." ★★★★★ (Theatre Weekly - Greg Stewart)
