That is the question asked in Gypsy Queen, Hope Theatre Company’s comic and tragic love story written by Rob Ward.
Fresh from securing two nominations from the 2018 Manchester Theatre Awards for Best New Play and Best Fringe Production and following a successful UK tour in 2017 (including a month at the Edinburgh Fringe and a three week run at King’s Head Theatre in London) Gypsy Queen kicks off 2018 with a one week run at the exciting Vault Festival in Waterloo from January 31st to Feb 4th.
Gypsy Queen is the story of ‘Gorgeous’ George O’Connell: traveller, bare-knuckle fighter, hero to his people and Gypsy King. George leaves this life behind and enters the world of professional boxing, which puts him on a collision course with his roots, his identity and his greatest fear.
In the opposite corner, gay boxer Dane ‘The Pain’ Samson, the young pretender and son of a boxing legend. But Dane is fighting his own battles and they will ultimately lead to a tragedy that neither man could predict.
Two men who find themselves, and each other, in the most unlikely of worlds. Gypsy Queen is an unconventional love story between two fighters who discover the greatest challenge lies outside the ring.
The subject of LGBTQ visibility and inclusivity in sport is always a hot topic for Wirral born actor and writer Rob Ward whose previous award winning one-man show Away From Home, co-written with Martin Jameson, was about the life of a rent boy in a relationship with a Premier League footballer. The show toured nationally and internationally between 2013 and 2016.
Alongside Ward in this multi-role two hander is actor John Askew who is joining Gypsy Queen following a successful UK tour of the Richard Bean play Harvest with New Perspectives Theatre Company. Recently located to Manchester, Sheffield born Askew has experience of boxing from his earlier years so should have no problem filling the gloves for this role!
Hope Theatre Company is a Manchester based theatre company specializing in LGBT work founded by Adam Zane, director of Gypsy Queen. Productions include The Laramie Project and the UK premiere of The Laramie Project – Ten Years Later at The Lowry and the company has been touring secondary schools across the North West with anti-homophobia verbatim play Out/Loud. Other productions include Get Happy at the Kings Head in London.
At the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival Gypsy Queen was longlisted for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award and creator Rob Ward was named one of the British Council’s 2017 Emerging Artists. The List also ranked Gypsy Queen the 39th best overall show at the Fringe in a field of 3,500.
Gypsy Queen runs every night at 9.30pm (Jan 31 – Feb 4) and there is also a 5pm matinee on Feb 3. For tickets click here.