Intimate one-person play about a man from the North of England whose secret leads him into the world of cruising, written by Henry Roberts.
Close Enough to Touch comes to the Derby Theatre on Friday 30 October, a one-person play presented by Red Ladder and Silent Uproar. It's an intimate, unflinching look at a man in his mid-twenties from the North of England, now living in London and unemployed, who has a girlfriend and a secret that lands him in the world of cruising — anonymous sex in public places. As that secret grows, so does his shame, and the piece swings between passion and pathos as he struggles to find pleasure, acceptance and the language to express himself, testing the line between our public and private selves.
On stage, Stefan Race plays the man, with Amy Blake as the voice of Isla. It's written by playwright and photographer Henry Roberts and directed by Cheryl Martin. The play first played at Theatre 503 in London, and the script was longlisted in the RSC's 37 Plays project. Roberts, originally from Lancashire, was longlisted for The Observer / Anthony Burgess Prize in 2025 and 2026, and he draws on childhood memories of pantomime at the Bolton Octagon.
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It's recommended for ages 16+, and contains sexual descriptions, sexual assault and strong language. The performance is at 8:00pm in the Studio at Derby Theatre, 15 Theatre Walk, St Peter's Quarter, Derby DE1 2NF. Tickets are £17, or £15 for under 26s.
