Following success in Edinburgh, London and on tour, Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope, written and performed by Mark Farrelly, is now available globally via Stream Theatre, with scheduled performances from this Thursday 22 July until Sunday 25 July 2021, and then available on-demand for a further week until Sunday 1 August 2021.
The one-man drama, which was filmed live at London’s Wilton’s Music Hall, is the fourth and final streaming premiere this month curated and presented by Olivier Award-winning producer James Seabright.
Naked Hope is a glorious, truthful and uplifting celebration of a genuinely unique human being, and of the urgent necessity to be yourself. Written and performed by Mark Farrelly, the production is directed by legendary actor and solo show master Linda Marlowe, who also directed Farrelly’s show The Silence of Snow, and has sound design by Tom Lishman.
“It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile, Be yourself no matter what they say” – Lyric from An Englishman In New York, written by Sting about Quentin Crisp
Naked Hope depicts the renowned English writer, raconteur and actor Quentin Crisp (1908-1999) at two distinct phases of his extraordinary life. Firstly, in the late 1960s in his filthy Chelsea flat in London.
“Don’t lose your nerve: after the first four years the dirt won’t get any worse”
The second part of the play transitions the audience to New York in the 1990s. Here a much older Quentin, finally embraced by society, regales the audience with his sharply observed, hard-earned philosophy on how to have a lifestyle.
“Life will be more difficult if you try to become yourself. But avoiding this difficulty renders life meaningless. So discover who you are. And be it. Like mad!”
Naked Hope concludes the season of James Seabright streaming premieres, which were all filmed live in performances at London’s Wilton’s Music Hall. It follows cabaret musical A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad), Black is the Color of My Voice inspired by Nina Simone, one-man Friends sitcom parody FRIEND (The One With Gunther).
What the critics say
★★★★ “An uncanny feat of resurrection…Farrelly’s mastery of his audience is total” – Time Out
★★★★ “An elegant one-man memoir… a mannered and moving performance” – Metro
★★★★ “Riveting and hysterically funny… a fantastic production, and one which will stay with you long after the curtain call” – British Theatre Guide
★★★★ “Comes into his own… with his brilliant, dry, laconic wit” – The Stage
Show trailer
Show photos
