Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope

Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope

Written and performed by Mark Farrelly

Directed by Linda Marlowe

Mark Farrelly (Howerd’s End and Silence of Snow) brings his hugely-acclaimed solo play to Bromley Little Theatre for an up-close encounter with the original Englishman in New York.

From a conventional upbringing to global notoriety via The Naked Civil Servant, Quentin Crisp was one of the most memorable figures of the twentieth century.  Openly gay as early as the 1930s, Quentin spent decades being beaten up on London’s streets for refusing to be anything less than himself.  His courage, and the philosophy that evolved from those experiences, inspire to the present day.

Naked Hope depicts Quentin at two phases of his extraordinary life: alone in his Chelsea flat in the 1960s, certain that life has passed him by, and thirty years later, performing An Evening with Quentin Crisp in New York.  Packed with witty gems on everything from cleaning (“Don’t bother – after the first four years the dust won’t get any worse”) to marriage (“Is there life after marriage? The answer is no”), Naked Hope is a glorious, uplifting celebration of the urgent necessity to be your true self.

★★★★★ “A stunning piece of theatre, masterfully told” Broadway Baby

★★★★★ “An acting masterclass” Sardines Magazine

★★★★★ “A truly life-affirming play and an absolute triumph” All That Dazzles

★★★★ “An uncanny feat of resurrection. Farrelly’s mastery of his audience is total” Time Out

★★★★ “Brilliant” The Stage

★★★★ “A sensational performance” Theatrescene.net (Off-Broadway)

★★★★ “A riveting and quite hysterically funny show” British Theatre Guide

★★★★ “Reveals both the frailty and fearlessness of a trendsetter” Metro

★★★★ “Highly recommended” North West End

★★★★ “Spectacularly metamorphic” The Reviews Hub

★★★★ “A terrific central performance…life-enhancing theatre” My Theatre Mates

★★★★ “A brave celebration of a truly witty outsider” London Theatre 1