Queer Play Reading Club: Four Play with Jake Brunger

The Queer Play Reading Club is a monthly event from Queer Theatre, held in partnership with Nick Hern Books, celebrating LGBTQIA+ playwriting in a supportive, low-pressure, queer-run, social space. Each session begins with up to an hour of sharing brand-new queer writing from our members, giving LGBTQIA+ playwrights and writers the chance to share short scenes or monologues and receive supportive feedback. We then move into a group reading of a full-length published play from Nick Hern Books, with relaxed discussion and Q&A with the playwright, facilitated by Queer Theatre’s Artistic Director, Andrew Keates.

“There must be a part of you that's curious, right? About what it would be like?”

Rafe and Pete have the kind of relationship people envy. Seven years strong, perfectly in sync… except for one little thing. Neither of them has ever been with anyone else. So, when they hatch a plan to scratch their proverbial itch, who better than mutual friend Michael? After all, Michael does this… right? And his partner Andy knows… right? What begins as an intellectual experiment in sexual exploration quickly escalates into a chaotic web of emotional vulnerability, betrayal and unanticipated desire.

Jake Brunger's Four Play is a provocative stage comedy which interrogates the unspoken rules of modern relationships and the fragile balance between intimacy and freedom. It was first presented at The Old Vic, London in 2015, and was subsequently produced at Theatre503 the following year.

This revised version of the play was published alongside the play's 2025 revival at King's Head Theatre, London, directed by Jack Sain and starring Daniel Bravo, Lewis Cornay, Jo Foster and Zheng Xi Yong.

We are delighted to announce that Jake Brunger will be joining us for this session to discuss the play and answer your questions.

Jake Brunger is a playwright, lyricist, and screenwriter from Nottingham now living in London. He is the co-writer of two West End musicals: THE SECRET DIARY OF ADRIAN MOLE AGED 13¾ (nominated for the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical; Leicester Curve, Menier Chocolate Factory, Ambassadors Theatre) and THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF (nominated for four WhatsOnStage Awards; Cheltenham Everyman, Noël Coward Theatre). His new stage musical adaptation of TREASURE ISLAND recently played a six-week run at Bristol Old Vic.

He wrote the film LOVE SARAH starring Celia Imrie and Bill Paterson, and co-wrote the Sky Cinema Christmas film TINSEL TOWN starring Kiefer Sutherland and Rebel Wilson. His stage play FOUR PLAY was originally produced by Old Vic New Voices starring Richard Madden and was revived last summer at the King’s Head Theatre. Jake’s other stage musicals include JET SET GO (Edinburgh Fringe, Theatre 503 & Jermyn Street Theatre), RED RIDING HOOD and CHICKEN LITTLE (Singapore Repertory Theatre) and PRODIGY (NYMT).

For more information, please www.jakebrunger.co.uk

Tea, coffee and snacks from 6:30pm
Session starts at 7pm (sharing new writing with the group and receiving supportive feedback)
We read the play together.
Q&A with Jake Brunger and Andrew Keates
Drinks and socialising until 11pm

The Railway, Clapham
18 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UR

By Tube: A 1-minute walk from Clapham North (Northern line) and 5 minutes from Clapham Common.
By Overground: Clapham High Street Station is directly opposite the venue.
By Bus: Served by routes 50, 88, 155, 322, and 345.
By Train: Clapham Junction is a short bus ride away, with connections across London and the South East.

The event takes place in an upstairs space accessible only by stairs. If you have access needs or questions, please contact us in advance so we can support your visit as best we can.

This is not a performance but an informal exploration of the play’s text. Scenes will be read aloud by members of the group who wish to participate. Roles may therefore be read in ways that differ from their original casting intentions, including across gender, race, age, sexuality, and lived experience. We actively welcome this openness while also encouraging those with lived experience reflecting the characters to volunteer where appropriate.

If you are a writer wishing to have your own work shared aloud in the opening section, please bring an excerpt of no more than five minutes to allow space for others. We may not have time to include everyone’s work on the night. If you need excerpts printed, please email us.

This event forms part of Queer Theatre’s commitment to ensuring LGBTQ+ theatre-makers always have somewhere to go each week to connect, create, and be inspired – alongside our 2B: Acting Classes, OutCast showcases, theatre trips, social events, masterclasses, parties and shows.

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Book via Eventbrite below. And if you’re having any problems with your booking, please contact us.

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