SMOKE is a contemporary queer theatre work that explores grief, memory, and connection in a world shaped by social media and loss. The story begins simply, with Alex waking one morning to a new message on Instagram from his boyfriend Ben. The message feels ordinary, almost comforting, except for one devastating truth: Ben died two years ago. What first appears to be a digital glitch or harmless hack slowly unfolds into something far more unsettling, drawing Alex into a spiral that blurs the boundaries between the living and the dead.
At its heart, SMOKE is an intimate and conversational piece that places its audience directly inside Alex’s emotional landscape. As the messages continue, Alex is forced to confront unresolved grief, desire, and the quiet isolation that follows loss. The play moves fluidly between dark humour and raw vulnerability, capturing how modern life processes trauma through screens, apps, and online identities. What begins as curiosity quickly becomes obsession, and Alex’s sense of reality starts to fracture under the weight of unanswered questions and emotional dependence.
The play is written and performed by acclaimed queer theatre-maker Alexis Gregory, whose previous work, including Riot Act, has been presented in the West End, across London, throughout the UK, and internationally. Gregory’s writing style is stripped back and direct, allowing language, timing, and silence to do much of the work. In SMOKE, this approach creates a powerful immediacy, making the audience feel like confidants rather than spectators.
SMOKE is directed by award-winning filmmaker Campbell X, known for works such as Stud Life and Low Rider. Under Campbell X’s direction, the play balances savage comedy with emotional intensity. References to social media culture, drugs, the “Demon Twink” in Starbucks, and even Mariah Carey sit alongside moments of deep sadness, creating a tone that is both sharply funny and deeply unsettling. The result is a hard-hitting comic-thriller about yet another dead gay guy, and the systems that fail to protect queer lives.
The production is partnered with the non-profit organisation You Are Loved (YAL), which was created in response to the disproportionately high rates of premature deaths from suicide and drugs within the LGBTQ+ community. YAL focuses on addressing the root causes of these deaths, including stigma, shame, and loneliness, themes that are central to the narrative of SMOKE. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to turning art into action.
Following each performance, YAL hosts a specially curated forty-five minute panel unique to each town and city on the tour. These panels involve local LGBTQ+ figures and explore how the themes of SMOKE intersect with YAL’s wider work. Together, SMOKE and You Are Loved form a unique touring collaboration that combines culture and community, encouraging audiences not only to watch and reflect, but to talk, share, and support one another.
