Beautiful Thing

By arrangement with Music Theatre International Australasia Pty Ltd, on behalf of Dramatists Play Service, Inc. The Old Mill Theatre presents: BEAUTIFUL THING. An urban fairytale by Jonathan Harvey directed by Barry Park featuring Cooper Gray, Felix Malcolm, Stacey Broomhead, Orla Poole and Ashvath Singh Kunadi.  11 to 13, 16 to 20, 23 to 26 March 2022, with Sunday matinees.

A bittersweet comedy about young love. Coronation Street writer Jonathan Harvey is at his insightful and hilarious best in this iconic portrait of adolescent self-discovery. In a run-down Thamesmead council estate, Jamie is bullied at school and Ste is bullied at home. One evening, Ste seeks refuge at Jamie’s. Something exciting and beautiful begins. At turns tough and tender, this upliftingly optimistic play captures exquisitely and joyously what it is to be sixteen, in the first flush of love and full of optimism. Deftly combining comedy with ardent drama, the play sings, with characters that abound with attitude, energy, frankness and humour.

A gloriously nostalgic trip back to the early nineties, bright with sensitivity, pathos and wit, it has a summery soundtrack of beautiful Mama Cass songs. This endearing play is directed by award-winning director Barry Park. 

“Deliciously upbeat… Harvey crafts his play with astonishing maturity and grounds the drama in a tangible sense of reality. He draws his characters with such delicate detail that when the fantasy takes flight the audience is more than ready for take-off… Truly a most unusual and beautiful thing.” — Guardian (London)

“BEAUTIFUL THING is an excellent, heart-warming play.” – Observer