Close Menu
Jake NewsJake News
  • UK News
  • International
  • Spotlight
  • Culture
  • Reviews
  • Business
  • Food & Drink
  • Travel
  •  Events
Trending

All set for the night of your life? Love Muscle is back! And you can get £10 off!

October 30, 2025

Challenging toxic masculinity: what would you say to your teenage self?

October 30, 2025

Perth secures spot as first Australian host of the Gay Games since 2002

October 30, 2025

Still getting your teeth done in Turkey now it's going full-scale anti-gay?

October 30, 2025

Wanda Sykes lays into comedians who performed at Saudi comedy festival

October 29, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Thursday, October 30
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Contact
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram TikTok
Jake NewsJake News
Join
  • UK News
  • International
  • Spotlight
  • Culture
  • Reviews

    Zurich? Boresville? Not if you stay at the fabulous Baur au Lac

    October 10, 2025

    Drink me, daddy! Tech water bottles get smart

    May 29, 2025

    BoTree, London

    March 26, 2025

    Gansevoort, New York City

    March 19, 2025

    Ulysses, Baltimore

    March 19, 2025
  • Business
  • Food & Drink
  • Travel
  •  Events
Jake NewsJake News
  • Events
  • UK News
  • International
  • Spotlight
  • Culture
  • Jake Reviews
  • Business
  • Food & Drink
  • Travel
Home»Culture»Heartstopper star Joe Locke celebrates his West End debut in gay play Clarkston
Culture

Heartstopper star Joe Locke celebrates his West End debut in gay play Clarkston

News RoomBy News RoomOctober 2, 2025918 ViewsNo Comments3 Mins Read
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email

Joe Locke [pictured front], who you’ll know for his breakout role in the gay hit Netflix series Heartstopper, is celebrating his professional West End stage debut in Clarkston, a new play by Samuel D Hunter. The playwright, best known for his work on The Whale—which inspired the Oscar-winning film—offers audiences a dense, emotionally charged narrative set in a small American town. The production runs until late November 2025.

In Clarkston, Locke portrays Jake, a young CostCo employee grappling with a recent diagnosis of Huntington’s disease, a degenerative illness that severely limits his lifespan. The play centres on Jake’s search for purpose and connection in the face of this crushing prognosis. He forms a complicated bond with Chris, played by Ruaridh Mollica, a fellow worker also wrestling with personal issues, including a fraught family relationship and internalised homophobia. Sophie Melville completes the trio as Trisha, Chris’s mother, who is battling long-term addiction. The triadic relationships establish a somber exploration of isolation, vulnerability, and the yearning for human connection amid life’s hardships.

Demo

Clarkston is characterised by a persistent bleakness that refuses to offer easy comfort or sentimentality. The characters’ flaws and difficult decisions unfold visibly on stage, creating tense, often uncomfortable moments. The play does engage important themes for LGBTQ+ audiences, notably the struggles of being openly gay in a conservative small-town environment and the barriers to emotional openness when one fears further hurt. The narrative invites reflection on how people attempt to find meaning even when their futures feel irrevocably limited.

Despite these ambitions, critical reception reflects a mixed response regarding the play’s emotional impact. Reviews consistently acknowledge Joe Locke’s strong and nuanced performance, highlighting his portrayal of Jake’s fragile but resolute spirit. The chemistry between Locke and Mollica has been noted as a central strength, capturing the complexities of male friendship and platonic love within a constrained social context. Locke himself has spoken about the challenges and excitement of his West End debut, emphasising the delicate task of portraying a character with a degenerative condition and bringing authenticity to the dialogue about friendship and illness.

However, some critiques point to shortcomings in the play’s execution. Several reviewers describe the dialogue as overly explicit and predictable, detracting from the emotional depth the material aspires to convey. The staging, reliant on a largely static set with minimal scene changes, and dialogue-heavy interactions, has been seen by some as limiting the production’s dynamism and engagement. While the play’s themes are undoubtedly poignant, the storytelling texture and pacing have occasionally failed to fully resonate with audiences, leaving a sense of detachment rather than catharsis.

Clarkston thus emerges as a challenging piece that spotlights important LGBTQ+ and broader human issues without the cushioning of lighter moments or facile resolutions. It is a meditation on loneliness, resilience, and the search for companionship amid adversity. Though it may not entirely satisfy those seeking an emotionally transformative theatre experience, it remains a noteworthy addition to the West End, especially for showcasing Joe Locke’s expanding range beyond his acclaimed screen work.
Source: Noah Wire Services

TOP EVENTS

Events

JAKE at Manzi’s

Events

SIR DEVONSHIRE SQUARE

Events

ROOFTOP PARTY at 25TH FLOOR BAR, art’otel HOXTON

Events

SUMMER OF PRIDE with GAYDIO

Events

SUMMER OF PRIDE

Events

SUMMER SINGLES MINGLE at MUSE at the ROYAL SOCIETY FOR ARTS

View All Events

TOP EVENTS

Events

JAKE at Manzi’s

Events

SIR DEVONSHIRE SQUARE

Events

ROOFTOP PARTY at 25TH FLOOR BAR, art’otel HOXTON

Events

SUMMER OF PRIDE with GAYDIO

Events

SUMMER OF PRIDE

Events

SUMMER SINGLES MINGLE at MUSE at the ROYAL SOCIETY FOR ARTS

View All Events
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
News Room
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

Jake Newsroom is a premier news and events site for gay professionals, delivering accurate and insightful coverage on business and culture with a strong emphasis on the UK and USA. Founded 25 years ago, it was the first and remains the largest platform of its kind, renowned for its commitment to truth and excellence.

Related News

Wanda Sykes lays into comedians who performed at Saudi comedy festival

October 29, 2025

Cynthia Erivo promotes her new book with a fierce new Harper's photoshoot

October 29, 2025

Alan Cumming launches Out in the Hills, a queer festival for the Scottish Highlands

October 29, 2025

Orient Express interiors on show in Paris

October 27, 2025

KUNSTY festival at Southbank Centre champions radical queer storytelling

October 27, 2025

Do you believe in life after gay love? That's what Danish movie In Ashes explores

October 27, 2025
Add A Comment
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Top News

Challenging toxic masculinity: what would you say to your teenage self?

October 30, 2025

Perth secures spot as first Australian host of the Gay Games since 2002

October 30, 2025

Still getting your teeth done in Turkey now it's going full-scale anti-gay?

October 30, 2025

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest news and updates directly to your inbox.

Advertisement
Demo
Jake News
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram TikTok
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Submit News
  • Advertise
  • Contact
© 2025 Jake News. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.