Vapists! By Andrew King

With the Brighton Fringe 2026 approaching, the local programme is starting to show some of the late-night options available this year. One of the productions scheduled for The Lantern Theatre on St James’s Street is Vapists!, a satire written and directed by Andrew King. Produced by the company I Have Company, the play is set in the City of London and follows two young stockbrokers navigating a high-pressure corporate environment. The plot focuses on these characters as they hide their sexualities and genders while dealing with a culture where success is often tied to excess.

The script by King explores themes like 'smurting', vaping, and the collapse of the 'World Media' system. The narrative follows the characters through various settings, including the secrecy of the office closet and the sauna, as they manage their hidden agendas and personal lives. It is an intriguing look at how these individuals cope with the pressures of their professional roles and the various excesses that come with their positions in the financial district, especially when the systems they rely on start to fail.

If you're looking at the schedule, performances are set for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th, and 10th of May, with each show starting at 23:00. The play has a duration of 60 minutes and is restricted to audiences aged 18 and over, as the content includes strong language and depictions of substance abuse. This late-night timing is a consistent feature across all its scheduled dates during the festival, making it an option for those out in Kemptown later in the evening.

Tickets for the performances are priced at £6.00, which is the guide price for this production. The Lantern Theatre is located at 77 St James's Street, Brighton (BN2 1PA), and serves as the venue for this part of the Fringe. The play offers a chance to see Andrew King’s latest work, focusing on contemporary themes of identity and corporate life in a concise, one-hour format that fits into the wider festival programme.