Quentin Crisp and Patrick Hamilton to Feature at the Tabard
Mark Farrelly bringing them both to life in two one-man shows
Mark Farrelly as Quentin Crisp
March 19, 2023
The Tabard Theatre is hosting two one-man shows on consecutive nights in which Mark Farrelly aims to bring to life Quentin Crisp and Partrick Hamilton.
On Tuesday 28 March at 7.30pm, having already given over 200 performances he brings his solo play, Naked Hope to Chiswick. It is directed by Linda Marlowe, best known as Sylvie Carter in Eastenders.
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 many 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”).
Mark Farrelly’s West End credits include Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? opposite Matthew Kelly.
The play runs for 75 minutes with no interval and tickets are £18 or £15 for concessions.
The following night (Wednesday 29 March) at 7:30pm, Mark Farrelly returns with The Silence of Snow: The Life of Patrick Hamilton.
Once again, Linda Marlow directs a play that he has written and performs solo on stage. He portrays one of the great English writers of the inter-war years. Chiswick author Patrick Hamilton was a dazzling success in his twenties, producing hit plays Rope (filmed by Hitchcock) and Gaslight, and classic novels Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky, Hangover Square and The Slaves of Solitude.
Mark Farrelly as Patrick Hamilton
But Hamilton was also an alcoholic, whose wit became increasingly mordant as his inner and outer worlds collapsed. Covering the entire sweep of Hamilton’s turbulent life and writing, The Silence of Snow aims to entertain and challenge in equal measure, asking audiences: why do so many of us get through life without feeling we ever truly knew another person?
The play runs for 70 minutes and tickets are £18 or £15 for concessions.
The previous Monday (27 March) at 7.30pm there is a night of comedy from Avalon Rising Stars - Luke Kempner and Josh Weller.
Luke Kempner has quickly established himself as an impressionist for the millennial comedy generation with his contemporary take on pop culture mimicry, amassing over 3 million views online, through his viral sketch videos ‘Alternative Love Island’ and ‘Alternative Game of Thrones.’ Luke is part of the new Spitting Image cast, which can be seen on BritBox.
Appearances include The Last Leg (Channel4) and ITV2’s Stand-Up Sketch Show and Love Island Aftersun, It Takes Two (BBC2), Celebrity Karaoke Club (ITV2), and he became a regular contributor/presenter on Steph’s Packed Lunch (Channel4).
Josh Weller is a failed musician turned comedian, viral content maker, comic book author and podcast host. He was born in England, raised in Malaysia and now lives in London.
As seen on ITV2 Stand Up Sketch Show, Weller’s high energy brand of self-deprecating stand-up landed him on pro bills after just one year on the circuit. In addition to his live comedy work, Josh has developed a fanbase for his viral musical videos and online content, with views in the millions which includes mockumentaries, sketches, professional trolling, animated stand-up comedy shorts, character work, and more. His 2020 mockumentary ‘The U2 Taken Paradox’ has had over a million views and angered legions of loyal U2 fans.
His musical parody videos also have views in the millions on TikTok and Instagram.
Further Avalon Comedy shows take place on 24 April, 22 May, 26 June
Then on Thursday 30 March 7:30pm, Nick Bromley presents a performance of Haunted Theatres.
The local Author and West End Company manager invites you on a journey through some of the UK’s phantom filled venues.
Through photographs and his engaging presentation, Nick guides us on a collection of untold supernatural experiences at UK’s theatres and the historic stories and characters behind them.
A Company Stage Manager since 1971, Nick has worked on many musicals and plays in the West End in some of the oldest and most prestigious theatres in the world. He has assembled a collection of spectral encounters and accounts from witnesses on both sides of the curtain, be they actors, backstage workers, managers or front of house staff.
This presentation is an accompaniment to his Top 10 selling book Stage Ghosts and Haunted Theatres.
This chilling and different exploration of theatre history is a must see for believers in the supernatural and for those that love a good story…
Tickets can be booked online for £12 or £8 for concessions.
You can book all productions online on the Tabard Theatre web site or call the box office on 020 8995 6035 (leave a message if you can’t get through and your call will be returned).
Theatre at the Tabard is at 2 Bath Road, Chiswick (W4 1LW).
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