Sam Salter is currently starring in Nutcracker – Tuff Nutt Jazz Club on London’s Southbank. This reimagining of festive classics explores lots of LGBTQ+ themes, including a romance between the two leads in a production directed and choreographed by Olivier Award-winning choreographer Drew McOnie and Mercury-nominated jazz artist Cassie Kinosh
In this new interpretation, the tale of Clive is a journey for self-acceptance because he identifies as gay. He falls in love with the Action Man. Initially, it seems that it is a longing to be found, but it’s about him knowing who he is. When he does he teaches a lot of characters in the story a lot of lessons, which is beautiful.
In an interview with ATTITUDE Salter added I’ve never played a character that has identified as gay on stage before, so it’s definitely — for character development — a lot easier to relate to and to get my teeth into. Amazingly, we’re having a lot more shows that are telling those stories — I think it’s really important. Also, a huge amount of the community goes to the theatre. The gays love the theatre [laughs]. We just absolutely adore it. So, that’s why I also think that this production of The Nutcracker is going to be so nice — especially for gay men to go and look at characters like Clive and see Clive’s dad Ron and relate to that relationship a little bit and be hopefully quite touched.
9 Nov 2023 – 6 Jan 2024, Part of Winter Festival Tuff Nutt Jazz Club, Level 1, Royal Festival Hall