Interview: Actor Lewis Bear Brown on LOVE QUIRKS: A NEW MUSICAL
Besties, are you looking for a new musical that has the power to steal your heart? Good news: after a critically-acclaimed off-Broadway run, Love Quirks is making its UK debut in London this autumn. It follows four New York roommates navigating the chaos of dating, heartbreak and everything in between. We spoke to Lewis Bear Brown, who stars as Ryan, to find out more.
This is the UK premiere of Love Quirks! What do you think UK audiences will love about this show?
I think people will love the fact that the musical isn’t a picture-perfect representation of relationships - love and friendship is WAY more complicated than what you see on stage and screen.
What drew you to the character of Ryan? Do the two of you have anything in common?
He’s extremely impulsive; moving in with someone he’s not even sure of after two months - that’s exactly something I would do! He’s also looking for someone who is perfect but that clearly doesn’t exist. It's taken me a while to accept that you have to accept the good, the bad, and the ugly of people when dating.
Can you tell us what sort of music we can expect to hear in Love Quirks?
In a weird way, it sounds almost Sondheim/Jason Robert Brown-esque, very stream-of-consciousness style writing at points but somehow catchy at the same time!
What is the most exciting part of being involved with a new musical?
Originating the London premiere version of a role is terrifying but it's so fun to have more freedom into making it your own. More established roles you tend to feel like you have to nod to the original.
As well as musical theatre, you're also a TikTok star! Where do you find the most inspiration for your videos?
I have a huge Notes app folder that I squirrel away ideas into while I’m going about my day and, of course, real life is funnier than fiction.
How do you hope audiences feel after watching Love Quirks?
Definitely that you don’t need to put so much pressure on relationships- they can be very bizarre and complicated but that's what makes them fun. That couple on your Instagram feed didn’t just happen overnight like they make it out to be. Sometimes you have to invest time and effort into relationships, and if it goes wrong, that’s totally fine!