Brighton Fringe 2026
Vapists-Lantern Theatre – Farringdon Present-ish
Farringdon Present-ish
Genre: Absurd Theatre, Comedy, Dark Comedy, LGBT Theatre, LGBTQ, LGBTQ+, LGBTQ+ Theatre, LGBTQI, LGBTQIA, LGBTQIA+, Queer Comedy, Queer Theatre, Short Plays
Venue: Lantern Theatre-Brighton
Festival: Brighton Fringe
Low Down
Andrew King’s new play VAPISTS ,comes flying out of the traps at the beginning of this forthcoming Brighton Fringe at The Lantern Theatre.
An intriguingly pitched “aged down” performance- showing two young London brokers who are firmly in the closet.
Confessional, witty, twisted dialogue, exploring the box-fresh friendship of a closeted
Trans-woman, too frightened to be herself in the workplace and a wonder boy “twink”
who even the girls are magnetized to, who leaves his sexuality out of the equation.
They scope each other out during an extended system hiatus and after a sharing of skills end up in a gay sauna called “Torso’s”.
Review
SMIRTING= Smoking and Flirting…
“A slang term that combines smoking and flirting with others while taking a cigarette outside a venue like an office or pub”
Thus is the premise of this intriguing and thought-provoking piece -appropriately staged in a late-night slot at Brighton’s Lantern Theatre.
Two young London brokers and work colleagues-Matt and Graham -one a trans-woman, too frightened to be herself in the workplace and the other- a wonder boy “twink”-scope each other out during an extended office break-and cigarette break due to a works – system hiatus.
After exchanging banter and a sharing of skills the pair end up in a gay sauna called “Torso’s”-where the majority of the piece takes place. – sympathetically lit and with a music track from the Gay Disco Project.
Thus, follows Confessional, witty, twisted dialogue, exploring the duos box-fresh friendship.
The play has as many layers as an onion and twists and turns throughout the hour.
Writer and director Andrew King plays Graham – with relaxed assurance throughout.
The show follows an “aged down” and gender-blind casting in the case of MATT played by the multi-faceted casting of Sascha Cooper -handled sensitively, with powerful delivery and a solid gravitas.
Both performers give solid and multi layered performances -balancing tension, black comedy and suspense in equal measure.
The language of the writing is eloquent and beautifully pointed -and delivered to perfection.
And special mention to the cast of offstage characters (including a disturbing denouement!) verbally created by Carl Anderson.
For a piece of late-night black comedy- catch this stylish little trifle-you won’t be disappointed. – intrigued maybe ….
