Star of ITV’s new detective drama The Long Call makes writing debut at Turbine Theatre
Star of ITV’s new detective drama The Long Call and musical theatre star Declan Bennett makes his writing debut at the Turbine Theatre from 9-13 November with an intimate, autobiographical one-person show.
The production follows Declan as he moves out of the Big Smoke to a sleepy Oxfordshire village and struggles to adapt to life alone in the pandemic. Through countless sleepless nights, we delve into his past as he attempts to lay old ghosts to rest.
From his Catholic school days in Coventry, to discovering his sexuality in the 90s, to falling in love and escaping to the countryside, this is the story of a man in search of identity, while baking copious amounts of banana bread.
Running throughout Men’s Health Month, Boy Out The City explores numerous male health issues, as Declan discusses his experiences of living with anxiety and his diagnosis of testicular cancer in his 20s.
Bennett has recently finished playing Billy Bigelow in the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production of Carousel and, from 25 October, will star in ITV’s new crime drama, The Long Call, as the husband of Fleabag’s Ben Aldridge. This is the first detective show on TV to feature a gay male detective as its lead.
Bennett said: “I unexpectedly spent most of the last six months of lockdown on my own. My partner was working overseas and I was living in a new and unfamiliar place. I’ve been to therapy and read countless books, and spent years on my recovery, and I knew that the best way to deal with my emotions was to be curious, to unravel the thoughts and use the time to give myself a creative outlet, a distraction.
“Boy Out The City is my first play, and, like me, it’s a work in progress and my wonderful friend, director and dramaturg, Nancy Sullivan, is helping me create a brave slice of magic. I’m also very grateful to my Producer, Lauren Reed, and Paul Taylor-Mills at the Turbine for believing in me and pushing this project forward.”
Boy Out The City returns to the Turbine Theatre, following a sell-out scratch performance at Rally Fest in June.
For more information and to book tickets, please click here.
