Lord Arthur's Bed
Lord Arthur's Bed is a play by English playwright Martin Lewton. The play premiered at the Brighton Festival in on 14 May 2008. It subsequently toured nationally in 2008, and transferred to Dublin in 2009.
| Lord Arthur's Bed | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Martin Lewton |
| Characters | Donald Jim |
| Date premiered | 14 May 2008 |
| Place premiered | Brighton Festival Brighton, England |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Reliving the lives of Victorian transvestites Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park through the eyes of contemporary gay culture |
| Genre | Drama |
| Setting | 2000s; Apartment in London's West End |
The play is set in 2008 following the Civil Partnership of the two protagonists, who find themselves living in a house once occupied by Lord Arthur Clinton MP and transvestite Ernest Boulton. It caused some considerable scandal on its opening in Brighton, when the Brighton newspaper "The Argus" led a story on the play with the headline "Sexually Explicit Play to be Staged in Church". As a result, the play sold out throughout its Brighton run.
Characters
- Donald
- Jim
Productions
The original (2008) tour was produced at the following venues:
- The Brighton Fringe
- The Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds
- The Rondo Theatre, Bath
- The Victoria Theatre, Settle
- The Square Chapel, Halifax
- The Lowry, Manchester
- The Drill Hall, London
In May 2009 the play was performed at the New Theatre in Dublin as part of the 2009 International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival
Cast
The original (touring) cast was as follows:
- Donald : Paul Kendrick
- Jim : Paul Spruce
At the New Theatre in Dublin in May 2009, the cast was as follows:
- Donald : Spencer Charles Noll
- Jim : Paul Spruce
At The King's Head in March–April 2010, the cast was as follows:
- Donald : Spencer Charles Noll
- Jim : Ruaraidh Murray
Awards and nominations
- 2009 Michael Mac Liammoir award for best actor: Spencer Charles Noll