Proud
Production shot by Ben Jacobs
PROUD: A dynamic, visceral look at the twists and turns of contemporary male relationships.
After his Pentecostal mother dies, Roland is liberated to live openly as a gay man. He relocates from Brixton to Walthamstow, where he unexpectedly falls for Amir, a refugee with a war-torn past. Their magnetic connection is tested, however, by Amir’s PTSD, his inability to identify as gay, and Roland’s strained relationship with his teenage son, Gary.
In an athletic 90 minutes of live theatre, Marlie Haco’s production brings together movement, music, and naturalistic dialogue, to tell an original story of queer love.
“A stunning production which more than lives up to expectations.”
Performance Dates
22nd February-19th March 2022 - King’s Head Theatre - click here for tickets
Reviews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Scene Magazine
“Bren Gosling writes a terse drama of lies, secrets, prejudice, fear and the burgeoning of Gay love in a gripping, emotional but always honest way that compels our attention.”
“Director Marlie Haco weaves through the show a poetic, balletic, acrobatic and often erotic production based on intimate physicality…[it] is both beautiful to watch and impressively performed.”
“Proud is undoubtedly 5-star theatre.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Sardines Magazine
“This compact, economical but wholly effective set [by Justin Nardella] is further enhanced by Ben Jacobs’ lighting and the compositions and sound design of Ákos Lustyik.”
“Marlie Haco has delivered a production which is not only true to the writing but gives it vibrant theatrical life. Proud is a great example of the power of theatre in a small room, especially when cast and creatives of this calibre are involved.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ - First Night Reviews
“This is where director Marlie Haco has it so right with the use of a basketball prop symbolising that you should never really take your eye off the ball, let alone drop it.”
“This is an absorbing piece of modern theatre where human emotions are laid out raw… stunning in the way the three characters’ stories are brought to life.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Plays ToSee
“The play is elevated to a high level of achievement by the skill of the three actors, the funny and plausible naturalistic dialogue, and above all by the remarkable synergy between the sound, light and design concepts coordinated by director Marlie Haco.”
“The particularity of the dialogue is married to an abstraction of emotion that resonates powerfully with the audience.”
“It is almost like a musical where the passage from speech to music and back again should seem inevitable; but in this case no one needs to sing.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - London Living Large
“Bren Gosling has written an engaging and thought-provoking play and Marlie Haco's direction keeps the action moving with effective use of movement and music to enrich the experience.”
“Andrei Maniata does a fine job of providing a credible and touching rendering of his character…Taofique Folarin successfully captures the bravado and vulnerability of the outwardly conforming husband/father who has now decided to follow his own path.”
“Gary (Kaine Hatukai) is particularly strong. He embodies the sulky, rebellious teenager who has secrets of his own.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - LondonTheatre1
“Marlie Haco’s direction – which included some very impressive movement routines around Akos Lustyik’s music – was assured and made great use of the space.”
“The production is definitely worth seeing.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 - Everything Theatre
The production is “a hybrid of a traditional chronological drama…and a sensual, provocative physical theatre spectacular. Often, when engaging in difficult or serious conversation, Haco has her actors play with a basketball; the effect of this is powerful, as we really see multiple sides to all characters. Amir is innocent yet cheeky, Gary is hurt yet hopeful, and Roland conflicted but playful.”
“The movement sequences throughout are mesmerising, powerful and really engaging. Although stylistically non-naturalistic, they invoke real emotion and understanding from the audience.”
“An influential and touching text that is superbly realised…Directed in an experimental yet precise way…[with] a strong cast of open and skilled actors.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - CentreStage
The production “centres around a basketball court…which was a clever way to bind the characters together and symbolise power struggles and relationships evolving.”
“Incredibly relevant, poignant, and impactful.”
More about Proud
Interview: Director Marlie Haco & Designer Justin Nardella on designing Proud
King’s Head Theatre blog post celebrating LGBTQ+ history month
Follow us @DoubleTelling on Twitter & Instagram
Writer - Bren Gosling
Director, movement director, dramaturg & producer - Marlie Haco
Set & costume designer - Justin Nardella
Composer & sound designer - Ákos Lustyik
Lighting designer - Ben Jacobs
Cast - Andrei Maniata, Kaine Hatukai & Taofique Folarin
Photography - Toby Mather
