“You’re going to tell the police that the future king was frequenting a gay brothel?
They’ll ruin you.”
The New Theatre presents the Australian premiere of The Flea by James Fritz, a surreal true story of deceit and corruption set against the world of male brothels in Victorian England.
London, 1889. Charlie Swinscow, a young post boy, gets busted with 14 shillings in his pocket. But the twist? He didn’t steal it. That cash was payment for his body. Sold to a wealthy aristocrat at a secret gay brothel with ties to the Royal Family.
What starts as a petty arrest, spirals into something much bigger. Charlie and his mother get caught in the middle of a national scandal that shakes the very foundations of the British Empire.
This is a wild, unfiltered, unpredictable trip through power, deception and disgrace. Raw, funny and sexy, in this true story about the notorious Cleveland Street Scandal, nothing is what it seems, and everything feels like a fever dream.
This isn’t history; it’s a whole vibe, so get ready for the ride.
CAST
James Collins, Sofie Divall, Jack Elliot Mitchell, Samuel Ireland and Mark Salvestro
CREATIVE TEAM
Director & Designer Patrick Kennedy
Assistant Director Luke Visentin
Lighting Designer Topaz Marlay-Cole
Associate Set Designer Tom Bannerman
Stage Manager Hermione Bathurst
Assistant Stage Manager Harry Peters
Photos © Chris Lundie
DATES/TIMES
Thu – Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm
No performance Sat 1 March
Sat 8 March 2pm only
Running time: 2 hours and 40 minutes including an interval of 20 minutes. Note: this production uses at times smoke and flashing lights.
TICKETS
Full Price $37
Concessions, Groups (6+) $32
New Theatre Members $25
Mardi Gras Members $25
Thrifty Thursdays $25
(plus booking & transaction fees)
TO BOOK visit: newtheatre.org.au
The New Theatre is located at 542 King St, Newtown
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