Playwright and performer Alexis Gregory (Riot Act, Future Queer) is back, with Smoke, another of his unique yet very relatable takes on modern queer life.
A solo performance that explores a hidden queer subculture, Smoke investigates the blur between fantasy and reality in this post-truth era. Packed with dark humour and suspense, this rollercoaster of a piece presents a comedic thriller that homes in on how today’s modern landscape may impact our grasp on reality, uncovering a hidden world within the everyday. Joined by acclaimed film and theatre director Campbell X (Stud Life, DES!RE, My White Best Friend) Smoke removes the theatrics to offer audiences an intimate conversation in Gregory’s most brutally honest and raw piece yet. In this stripped-back, plot-driven production we follow just Alex, his mobile phone, and his story. Smoke explores being a man in 2024, being queer, and how unexpectedly being haunted in the digital era by an ex-partner can suddenly spiral into a twisted thriller of clashing realities and uncertain truths.
When Alex receives a private Instagram message from his now deceased ex-boyfriend’s account, he finds himself trailing leads both old and new in a haphazard and dangerous attempt to uncover the truth. Smoke confronts today’s obsession with self-documentation, drugs, paranoia, and living and dying in the digital age. When privacy seems an archaic concept, where do we draw the line? Based on the writer’s own experiences and observations, Smoke uses sharp humour to face this era of conspiracy theories and high surveillance. After being hacked himself, Gregory’s own visceral experiences tracing how the invasion of privacy happened, influenced the development of this fast-paced production, as well as his experiences on the LGBTQ+ scene.
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I caught up with Alexis during rehearsals to find out more.
Hey Alexis, Your new play Smoke sounds great and touches on a few topical issues, including the increasing blur between fantasy and reality. Do you think we’ll reach a point where the difference between fantasy and reality doesn’t matter, a simplistic example, say when looking at an image of a hot guy?
I think we’re at that point already, and I think that ‘blurring’ is particularly appealing to gay men. We love to embrace technological advances, especially if they make us look, and be, ‘better’. Remember those filtered profile pics that were shared a few months back, making gay men look like action heroes, or rugged mythical figures. I only saw gay men share them, although I saw a couple of trans friends share too, and I do understand how the idea of transformation is appealing to queer people. I barely even use filters on any pics anymore. The publicity images for Smoke, and some of my other shows, are not retouched. They are real, and that suits this particular project. As I have got older, I avoid too much fakery in photos, unless it suits the project. Why do I need to hide, or pretend to be something else? Why is who I am, not good enough? Again, I think these are questions that can also be viewed, and answered, via an especially queer lens too.
You also touch on the idea of privacy being old fashioned. I agree, but where do you think we’ll end up with this?
I think it’s interesting how much many of us share, and how that feeds itself. Also, the idea that what one is doing is so fascinating, that it simply must be shared for the greater good. Alex, my character, in Smoke, explores the flip-side of this; living in a modern city, and feeling like you are constantly under surveillance. He also utilises his own methods of sharing info with, and connecting with, strangers. What much of ‘Alex’ shares online, as the play progresses, and his life spirals out of control, may seem like an overshare to some, but to Alex it’s completely normal. Andy Warhol’s prophecy certainly came true. Now, we can all have our fifteen minutes.
How much of your personal experience contributed to Smoke?
It’s pretty much all based on my own experiences, or things I have witnessed. I have sometimes used real-life events as the basis for aspect of the plot, and just pushed it further. Smoke is about what I have witnessed as a gay man over the years, and a viewpoint on a particular life. I think for some people this will be a peep into a hidden world. For other people, especially the urban queer audience, it will be instantly recognisable.
Smoke, like lots of your work, fuses humour, in amongst the more challenging aspects of the script. Why is humour important in Smoke?
There is humour in almost everything I write, and it was never a conscious choice to steer Smoke in that direction. It’s just how I work. Alex is pretty mean to some of the other unseen characters talked about in Smoke. The humour is outrageous, and probably recognisable to a queer audience, and indeed, a straight audience too. Alex is very bitchy and cutting, and has zero boundaries. But underneath it all, he is terrified.
Smoke sounds pretty innovative. What can audiences expect?
I think it will be an eye-opening experience for audiences. Like most of my work, it mixes the hard-hitting and funny. My character, Alex, says and does some pretty wild things, and I think that is where the humour will come from. Writing, and performance, wise Smoke is completely naturalistic, as opposed to the stylised work I usually produce. Campbell X, one of my favourite directors who I am so pleased to have on board for this one, and I are also staging it with next to nothing, stage-effect wise. The lights are up, on me and the audience, throughout, I don’t theatrically ‘become’ the other characters that Alex talks about. He is just telling his story, and he audience, and me, are in it together. I also think this is a certain queer story that we have not really seen before on stage, or on screen. But I won’t give anymore away. Come see ‘Smoke’!
Sounds great! Looking forward to this.
Smoke premieres at the King's Head Theatre, 4BELOW, 116P Upper Street, N1 1Q. Saturday 2nd–Monday 11th November https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/smoke/book
Queerguru’s Contributing Editor Ris Fatah is a successful fashion/luxury business consultant (when he can be bothered) who divides and wastes his time between London and Ibiza. He is a lover of all things queer, feminist, and human rights in general. @ris.fatah
Labels: 2024, Alexis Gregory, Kings Head Theatre, preview, Ris Fatah, Smoke
