Photograph by Halena Hucker
Queer Theatre is delighted to welcome award-winning playwright James Fritz as the special guest for its next Queer Play Reading Club, taking place at The Railway in Clapham on Tuesday 17 November 2026.
Held in partnership with leading theatre publisher Nick Hern Books, the Queer Play Reading Club brings LGBTQIA+ creatives, theatre lovers and emerging writers together to discover exceptional Queer plays, meet the people who write them and explore the art of storytelling in a welcoming, supportive environment.
November's featured play is Fritz's The Flea, a wildly imaginative, darkly comic retelling of the Cleveland Street Scandal that rocked Victorian England in 1889. From a seemingly insignificant flea bite to a scandal reaching the very heart of Buckingham Palace, the play explores class, power, sexuality and institutional corruption through an anarchic and deeply affecting story.
First performed at London's Yard Theatre in 2023, The Flea received widespread critical acclaim, with The Guardianpraising its ambition and The Stage celebrating its imaginative approach to exposing the hypocrisies of the powerful.
Fritz is one of Britain's most exciting contemporary playwrights, with an impressive body of work including Parliament Square, Four Minutes Twelve Seconds, Lava, Ross & Rachel and The Fall. His accolades include the Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright, a Bruntwood Prize Judges' Award and multiple awards for his acclaimed audio dramas.
The evening will begin with an opportunity for members to share their own writing and receive constructive feedback, before participants come together for an informal table reading of The Flea, followed by a discussion facilitated by Queer Theatre's Artistic Director, Andrew Keates.
Unlike a traditional theatre performance, the club invites attendees to participate in bringing the play to life, with no previous acting experience required. Every participant will also receive a copy of the published script to take home, helping them build their own library of Queer theatre.
Beyond the play itself, the evening offers an opportunity to meet like-minded people, discover new collaborators and build friendships within London's LGBTQIA+ creative community.
The event forms part of Queer Theatre's wider mission to nurture Queer talent, create spaces for LGBTQIA+ stories and ensure that no Queer creative need ever spend a week alone again.
Queer Play Reading Club: The Flea by James Fritz takes place on Tuesday 17 November 2026 at The Railway, 18 Clapham High Street, London, with doors opening at 6:30pm and the evening beginning at 7pm.
Tickets cost £30, including a published copy of the play, complimentary tea, coffee and snacks.