Absolute Certainty? comes to Newport’s Riverfront Arts Centre in April and is described by British Theatre Guide as a lively, intimate, and ‘irreverent’ production explores the lives of three young, working-class men who, one summer, are forced to question what they know about each other, and more importantly, themselves.
Welsh writer, Stewart Campbell, now directs Dean Michael Gregory, Andrew Houghton and Lewis Jackson in this latest production of ‘Absolute Certainty?’
Campbell says “Whilst Absolute Certainty? is a piece of fiction the world of play is very real. I wanted to tell a coming-of-age story that reflected the working-class world I grew up in – and although society has progressed enough that coming out should not be a problem, the first barriers each LGBTQ person must overcome are found inside themselves, and they often come from the homes they grow up in.”
Finn is off to Uni, and Lee, his brother’s best mate, wants to teach him ‘how to have fun AND look after himself!’. However, Deano, a builder that lives for the weekend, is not so keen to have his younger brother cramping his style. Despite Deano’s best efforts to discourage their friendship, Finn and Lee get closer when Lee passes on a secret message from the brothers’ estranged mother. In an environment where no-one is safe to talk about feelings, let alone sexuality, it’s easy to misread the signs. One drunken night, a line is crossed; but by who? What happened? It’s difficult to find out when nobody wants to talk.
Qweerdog’s first production of Absolute Certainty? was a 45 minute one-act play for the 2017 Greater Manchester Fringe Festival. The show was shortlisted for the Write-for-the-Stage New Writing award, spurring writer/director, Stewart Campbell, to get working on Act II, answering the question ‘what happened next’… kind of!
A successful run above The King’s Arms, Salford led to the show headlining Hope Mill Theatre’s first ever queer Turn-On Fest in January 2020. However, whilst this production was on tour, the government introduced the first Covid lockdown, meaning the final run at Liverpool’s Royal Court never took place.
Filled with colourful language, one-liners, a clubbing soundtrack, and heart, this comedy-drama reveals the difficulties young men face when they don’t have the words to express themselves.
- Absolute Certainty plays The Riverfront Arts Centre on Friday April 8. For ticket information visit Newport Live’s website.