Declan Bennett, star of ITV’s new detective drama The Long Call, makes his writing debut at the Turbine Theatre this November with an intimate, autobiographical one-person show.
Boy Out The City 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.
Declan (Once, Jesus Christ Superstar, Fatherland) has just finished playing Billy Bigelow in the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production of Carousel and, from 25th 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.
Declan Bennett, writer and performer of Boy Out The City, 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.
Paul Taylor-Mills, Artistic Director of the Turbine, said: “I am delighted to have Declan and Boy Out The City return to The Turbine Theatre. After inviting Dec and his team to be part of Rally Fest in June, it will be fascinating to see how the show has progressed. At The Turbine, we always encourage artists to take up our space with LGBTQ+ led work, and Dec’s story is particularly poignant during November, Men’s Health Month. I can’t wait to see what he brings to the stage.”
Boy Out The City opens 9 November at 19:30 and runs until 13 November at 19:30. There is also a Saturday matinee at 15:00. Tickets start from £13.50 and are available from the Turbine Theatre’s website here.
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