Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope

Fresh from its Off-Broadway debut and milestone 150th performance, Mark Farrelly’s hugely acclaimed solo play returns to the Jack Studio.

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 his refusal 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, giving a performance of his one man show 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.

Mark Farrelly’s West End credits include Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? opposite Matthew Kelly. He is directed by EastEnders star Linda Marlowe (Berkoff’s Women).

Press for this production

Farrelly’s mastery of his audience is total. Brilliant. ★★★★ Time Out

A masterclass ★★★★ Broadway Baby

★★★★ Metro

★★★★ The Stage

★★★★ British Theatre Guide

★★★★ The Public Reviews

★★★★ Exeunt

★★★★ The Reviews Hub

inspirational and incredibly sincere ★★★★ North West End

a joy to watch ★★★★ Shy Strange Manic

brilliantly executed ★★★★ A Young(ish) Perspective

breath-taking, life-enhancing theatre. The icon lives! ★★★★ AJH Loves Theatre