Review: JOCK NIGHT, Seven Dials Playhouse
Photo credit: Dawn Kilner
Returning after a critically acclaimed run in 2023, Hive North’s Jock Night storms back into Seven Dials Playhouse. It is bold, brash, and brimming with heart. Written and directed by Adam Zane, this Offie-nominated play plunges headfirst into the sticky, sweaty world of chemsex, queer desire, and the often chaotic but fiercely loving relationships that flourish in spaces of sexual liberation. It doesn’t tiptoe around sex, drugs, or pleasure, nor should it.
Set entirely in Ben’s bedroom, a haven, a party den, and sometimes a battleground, the story unfolds over six months, tracking the lives of five gay men who orbit the wild, after-dark world of Manchester’s Canal Street. Jockstraps, leather and laughter are in abundance, but beneath the debauchery lies tenderness: a deep camaraderie between men navigating identity, addiction, intimacy and self-worth.
Chemsex here isn’t reduced to a cautionary tale. The play presents it as it is: a scene built on connection, euphoria and escapism, often offering a sense of belonging that conventional society withholds. Substances like GHB and meth become a way of exploring desire, power and vulnerability, but also a space where boundaries blur and consequences creep in.
David Paisley gives a complex and deeply human performance as Ben; older, muscled, emotionally layered. Affectionately called “daddy” by the others (though he doesn’t exactly embrace the term), Ben serves as both anchor and observer. He allows the younger men to stumble, experiment, and crash, even as he wrestles with his own ghosts. There’s a quiet ache in his nostalgia for a time when holding a partner’s hand in public could be a life-threatening act, a sobering contrast to the relative freedoms enjoyed today, yet still marked by new risks, like drug culture.
At the other end of the spectrum is Gabriel Clark’s portrayal of AJ, the youngest of the group, fresh to the scene and full of questions. His wide-eyed naivety is undercut by a genuine openness and wisdom. AJ isn’t a passive student of this world, he brings his own light into it, his desire to connect just as nourishing for the others as their guidance is for him.
Matthew Mitcham plays Hunter/Simon with a sharp edge that threatens to destabilise the group. Eddie Ahrens’ Kam is dripping in camp charisma while masking deeper struggles, and James Colebrook’s Russell is quietly affecting: a gym bunny with a growing online following, but whose real yearning is for love, not likes.
Zane’s script insists this isn’t a tragedy, and that’s what makes it so affecting in parts. Heavy moments are unashamedly undercut with camp, silliness and self-awareness. The tone shifts often, but avoids being jarring; the emotional and comedic beats land in tandem. Jock Night finds a rare balance between the deeply personal and the gloriously ridiculous.
Yes, there’s a lot of sex. Yes, there’s full-frontal nudity. And yes, the venue is small enough to make it feel like you’re part of the afterparty. But there’s no leering here, no cheap thrills. Every scene of intimacy is crafted with care and authenticity. Credit to intimacy director Sam Goodchild who ensures these moments are honest and respectful, sexy, yes, but never for the sake of it. The context fits. This is a play designed for the community it reflects, and for those who may see a part of themselves in the shadows and glitter.
Jock Night also speaks to the changing conversation around HIV. PREP has revolutionised queer sex and safety, yet stigma and misinformation still linger. The play doesn’t preach. Instead, it shows, through laughter, missteps, heartbreak and joy that real education starts with listening to lived experience, not pushing shame.
Not all performances are evenly matched, and the first half occasionally meanders before snapping into a tighter, more defined second act. But these are small misfires in an otherwise gutsy, heartfelt production. As part of Seven Dials Playhouse’s Pride Season, Jock Night is both a love letter to queer nightlife and a raw, unfiltered snapshot of the people who live within it. Hilarious, horny, and full of heart, this is a night worth having.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Stephanie Osztreicher
Jock Night plays at London’s Seven Dials Playhouse until 15 June, with further info here.
