Northern School of Writing lecturer and playwright Stephen Hornby has just completed a tour of his new play The BBC’s First Homosexual. Previews of the show featured in The Guardian, BBC Radio Four’s The World Tonight and the Manchester Evening News.
The director of the play is Oli Hurst, a performance alumni from the University of Salford. The play premiered at the New Adelphi Theatre and then toured to Liverpool, Birmingham, Brighton, London and Loughborough. It sold out at most of the venues and the critics have been as keen as the audiences. Here’s some of what they said:
“This is a powerful piece of theatre, meticulously crafted and profoundly felt.”
– London Theatre Reviews
“A production that is peerless, leaving this as one of the most important new pieces in British theatre of 2026.”
– The New Current
“This is a beautifully conceived play which is as entertaining as it is informative and is performed by a superb and talented cast.”
– Jack The Lad
“Although Hornby’s script is full of fascinating detail, it never bogs down or becomes a lecture.” – British Theatre Guide
“Sometimes something is so good you want to stand outside the theatre and tell everyone outside to come in and see it. This is one of those moments. Unmissable, first class, astonishing theatre.”
– Brighton Source
“Ultimately, this powerful, slick, and well-performed piece excels at creating an incredibly heartfelt and important story”
– All The Dazzles
With reviews this good, surely it can’t be long before The BBC’s First Homosexual is on the road again. Hornby has hinted that there will be announcements about that coming soon, so if you missed it last time…