
Exclusive: Heartstopper's Joe Locke makes his West End debut in ‘Clarkston' – full dates and venue
The play is Clarkston by US playwright Samuel D Hunter, best known over here for writing the screenplay to Darren Aronofsky's Oscar-nominated The Whale. It's had fringe success in the States but it now gets its biggest outing to date as it plays a nine-week stint at the Trafalgar Theatre this autumn, in a production helmed by American director Jack Serio.
Described as a 'modern frontier story', Clarkston will star Locke as Jack, a young man who heads out to the American West in an effort to rediscover himself, in a journey that obliquely reflects Lewis and Clark's great expedition. He'll co-star with fellow rising star Ruaridh Mollica, plus the wondrous Sophie Melville. It's a very promising looking show from an actor whose early stage roles have so far been as good as his screen ones.
Clarkston is at Trafalgar Theatre, Sep 17-Nov 22. Priority book opens at 10am today (Sep 21) and public booking opens 10am tomorrow (Sep 22).
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Metro
32 minutes ago
- Metro
Gwyneth Paltrow's ‘savage' new Astronomer spokesperson job after kiss cam drama
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Gwyneth Paltrow has been hired as Astronomer's 'temporary spokesperson' to answer the many questions received following her ex-husband Chris Martin's involvement in the company's kiss cam scandal. The Hollywood star, 52, and the software company alike were praised for the 'brilliant' move and having a 'savage' sense of humour in the wake of the world's unexpected scrutiny over two former employees. In case you've been living under a rock, Astronomer's CEO Andy Byron was caught in an embrace on a jumbotron at a Coldplay concert in Boston earlier this month with his HR chief Kristin Cabot before they both abruptly tried to hide. This led frontman Chris to joke: 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy!' Both have since quit their roles at the company after the clip went viral and sparked countless memes and jokes at their expense. But Astronomer has had the last laugh in hiring actress and Goop founder Gwyneth for a parody video in an expert crisis management move. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The Shakespeare in Love star – who famously 'consciously uncoupled' from rock star Chris, 48, in 2014 – revealed in the surprise video on Friday night that she had been 'hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300-plus employees at Astronomer'. 'Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days, and they wanted me to answer the most common ones,' she explained, brightly, before the video cut to on-screen text typing out the question, 'OMG! What the actual f—'. The actress then leapt in to, um, definitely not answer that question, instead enthusing: 'Yes, Astronomer is the best place to run Apace Airflow.' She added: 'We've been thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation.' 'As for the other questions we've received,' the Oscar-winner continued, before on-screen text again popped up to wite out, 'How is your social media team holding—'. The Sliding Doors actress again responded on an obviously unrelated note to advertise that yes, there was indeed still space at an upcoming conference Astronomer is holding in September. She then signed off the video on Astronomer's social pages by thanking people for their interest in Astronomer and adding: 'We will now be returning to what we do best.' 'You got Chris Martin's ex-wife???!!! Savage,' commented Molly O'Shea on X, while Dan Go praised the video as 'marketing jiu jitsu' and another fan laughingly called Gwyneth's hire 'diabolical'. 'Whenever [sic.] was behind this idea should be the first to enter heavens pearly gates,' commented @empressatlantis as @tednotlasso added: 'CMO should be new CEO.' 'I want to hate on it but I cannot. Masterclass,' added Josh Pate. 'The Entertainment from now until the end of time,' tweeted @nearcyan while Sam Kampner suggested: 'Just another proof [sic.] that there's no such thing as 'bad publicity'.' The kiss cam moment also resulted in a surge of interest in Coldplay's chart-topping music, with streaming up 25% on the band's tunes. According to data from Luminate sourced by Billboard, in the five days before the Boston concert on July 16, Coldplay had 28,700,000 streams. This soared up to 35,700,000 in the five days after the scandal. The clip was filmed by Grace Springer, 28, from New Jersey, who stood by her decision to share it online in the wake of the media frenzy, saying she had 'no idea' who the couple was and just thought she had 'caught an interesting reaction to the kiss cam and decided to post it. She told The US Sun: 'A part of me feels bad for turning these people's live's upside down, but, play stupid games… win stupid prizes. 'I hope their partners can heal from this and get a second chance at the happiness they deserve with their future still in front of them.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Nicole Kidman could be next to flee Trump's US after applying for residency in Europe MORE: The Jonas Brothers reflect on creepy questions about their sex life aged 14 MORE: Denise Welch reveals why she's 'glad' to not be Taylor Swift's mother-in-law


Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'Most spectacular' superhero film is now ready to watch for free
Marvel fans are thrilled to see the "best superhero film ever" is now ready to watch at the click of a button. A movie hailed as the "best superhero film" ever has landed on a free streaming platform, seven years on from its cinematic launch. Avengers: Infinity War, following the success of The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, made a splash as the third instalment in the unforgettable MCU series. The 2018 blockbuster brought together fan favourites like Robert Downey Jr. 's Iron Man, Chris Evans' Captain America, Chris Hemsworth's Thor, and Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff, much to the delight of Marvel enthusiasts. In this thrilling chapter, the formidable Thanos, portrayed by Josh Brolin, presses on with his relentless pursuit of the infinity stones, while the Avengers unite to thwart his plans for "chaos and destruction". Marvel fans are now in for a treat as they can stream the legendary flick at no cost. For the first time, Avengers: Infinity War is available on BBC iPlayer, having dropped onto the service today, Saturday, July 26. With iPlayer being a complimentary service, all that's required is an email address to dive into its vast library. Upon its initial release, the MCU sensation swiftly smashed records, becoming the quickest movie to surpass the $1 billion and $1.5 billion milestones in worldwide box office earnings and clinching the title of 2018's highest-grossing film. Judging by the enduring enthusiasm from fans, it's clear why Infinity War remains a cherished addition to the Marvel canon. A social media user was effusive in their praise, stating: "When all superheroes come together, you get a superb movie. Infinity War is no less than a miracle. It not only impresses you, but also leaves you spellbound." They continued to extol the film's virtues: "Cinematically, it's the most amazing and spectacular film ever made." Another fan concurred with the sentiment: "I think it may be one of the single best movies I have ever seen!", while a third offered high praise: "IW is not just the best MCU movie but also one of the greatest superhero movies of all time. "The writing brilliantly intertwined humor, action, and emotional depth, making sure every character had their moment to shine." A fellow fan stated: "Avengers: Infinity War is a ground-breaking, unique movie within the genre."


The Guardian
4 hours ago
- The Guardian
The Fantastic Four: First Steps to Chief of War: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
The Fantastic Four: First StepsOut now Marvel returns with a retro-pastiche version of The Fantastic Four. The family of superheroes: Reed Richards AKA Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm AKA Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm AKA Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm AKA the Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) battle space god Galactus (Ralph Ineson, AKA Finchy from The Office), in a 1960s-themed adventure. We Crip film festivalBFI Southbank, London, 26 & 27 July With a title chosen by a disability advisory board aiming to positively reclaim the slur 'crip', this festival at the BFI Southbank (previously known as Busting the Bias) offers films, panels and more to celebrate Disability Pride Month, across both days this weekend, including a short film programme It's Not You, It's Ableism and a closing-night event, An Audience With Kyla Harris: Cripping the Screen Industries. GazerOut now Film-making couple Ryan J Sloan and Ariella Mastroianni co-wrote and self-funded this low-budget 16mm film noir together, for him to direct and its stylish slow burn is the real deal. Mastroianni receives an offer that seems too good to be true, and – whoops! – by the time she realises, she's in too deep to get out. The Bad Guys 2Out now Sam Rockwell returns as the voice of Mr Wolf, head honcho of the notorious reformed crime outfit the Bad Guys, together with his right-hand snake, Mr Snake (Marc Maron), master of disguise Mr Shark (Craig Robinson) and the rest of the gang,, in this sequel to the 2022 family animation. This time around, they're being pulled back in for one last job by an all-female criminal squad featuring the voices of Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova and Natasha Lyonne. Catherine Bray JIN Tue & Weds, The O2, London With BTS returning next year after each member completed their time in the South Korean military, the band's vocalist JIN is heading to London for two solo shows. Expect songs from his two mini-albums – including the buoyant, Gary Barlow-penned Running Wild – plus some BTS bangers. Boardmasters Wed to 10 August, Newquay, Cornwall Cornwall's beach-based singing and surfing extravaganza returns with a lineup headlined by Raye, Central Cee and the Prodigy. Other artists serenading the sea include Leigh-Ann, Flo, Wet leg, and, as seems obligatory for every festival this year, Natasha Bedingfield is also involved. Michael Cragg Claire Martin with Ian ShawSt Mary's Church, Petworth, 29 July The partnership of world-class UK jazz vocalists Claire Martin and Ian Shaw has kept its hip vivacity for more than 25 years, their performances unfailingly entertaining, witty and often moving gems of the jazz singer's subtle art. This gig, with Shaw also on piano, reinvents a century of classic hits, from wartime anthems through to Bowie, Joni Mitchell and beyond. Andrew Clements The AtonementHereford Cathedral, 31 July Among the more regulation choral fare in this year's Three Choirs festival, a revival of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's festival commission from 1903 stands out. Depicting the events leading up to Christ's crucifixion as described in the gospels, The Atonement is a five-movement sacred cantata; Samuel Hudson conducts the Hereford performance, which marks the 150th anniversary of Coleridge-Taylor's birth. John Fordham Arctic ExpressionsKirkleatham Museum, Redcar, to 28 September This touring exhibition from the British Museum delights in the resilience and ingenuity of Arctic peoples. The Inuit and other cultures of the world's most northerly inhabited regions use the natural world around them to make everything they need – and create symbolic art that sees nature as powerful and sentient. Andy GoldsworthyRoyal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, to 2 November A retrospective for this artist who was making sustainable art long before the full facts of the climate crisis were known. Goldsworthy sculpts in the landscape instead of depicting it. He creates poetry from dry stone walling or fallen leaves. Here are 50 years' worth of artworks that stand with nature. Jane and Louise WilsonBloomberg Space, London, to 1 January The twin artists who became famous for their film art in the 1990s and were shortlisted for the Turner prize turn to more introspective, ancient themes as they investigate the archaeology of the City of London, in this gallery adjoining the Roman temple to Mithras. See all that lies beneath. Secrets of the ThamesLondon Museum Docklands, to 1 March This exhibition takes you on a filthy, muddy quest for wonder and history. It celebrates mudlarking, the popular hobby that has some Londoners spending weekends in wellies on the Thames shoreline. You can find anything in and by this great river, from Roman bricks to clay pipes and Victorian bottles. Jonathan Jones Patti HarrisonSoho Theatre Walthamstow, London, ; Soho theatre, London, to 7 August The wildly irreverent US comic (Poker Face, I Think You Should Leave) pitches up in London for a bumper Soho Theatre run: first a two-hour standup extravaganza in Walthamstow, then a variety show residency in Soho called Don't Ask – a title that offers some clue to Harrison's trademark blend of chaotic, envelope-pushing humour. Rachel Aroesti Brixton CallingSouthwark Playhouse, London, to 16 August The origin story of the O2 Academy Brixton, transformed from a derelict cinema into a famed music venue by Simon Parkes. Starring actor-musician Max Runham and featuring a live 80s soundtrack of reggae, punk, rock and rave. Miriam Gillinson Make it HappenFestival theatre, Edinburgh, 30 July to 9 August A new play about the rise and fall of the Royal Bank of Scotland from the ever-insightful James Graham. How did the world's biggest bank grow unchecked at such a rate and what role did it play in the financial crash of 2008? Starring Succession's Brian Cox. MG Ensemble festivalRoyal Victoria Docks, London, A free festival of dance, circus, physical theatre and street art, curated by arts organisation Certain Blacks. Things to see include a splashy sustainability-themed 'water installation', an aerial dance show about the simple act of wanting a hug, and a tribute to 1950s dancehalls by Miss High Leg Kick. Lyndsey Winship Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Chief of WarApple TV+, 1 August Hawaiian-born action hero Jason Momoa co-creates and stars in this historical drama about his spectacularly scenic birthplace. Alongside a largely Polynesian cast, Momoa plays the titular Ka'iana, a warrior determined to unify Hawaii's four islands at the turn of the 18th century as the threat of colonisation creeps ever closer. Destination XiPlayer & BBC One, 30 July, 9pm Attention Race Across the World stans: globetrotting gets (another) reality-gameshow twist in this series helmed by the great Rob Brydon. A group of contestants board a blacked-out bus; when they arrive at their destination they must battle to identify their European location – but a slew of twists make their task surprisingly tricky. Inside the Cult of the Jesus ArmyiPlayer & BBC Two, 27 July, 9pm Few real-life cult stories are as chilling as that of the Jesus Army, whose mission to build a Christian idyll in 1970s Northamptonshire descended into community mired in child sexual abuse. This two-part documentary traces the project's trajectory and the ongoing trauma it caused its members. LeanneNetflix, 31 July Sitcom maestro Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory) teams up with Tennessee comedian Leanne Morgan to bring broad, network-style comedy to the streaming age with this warm, joke-laden show about a middle-aged woman adjusting to singledom after her husband unexpectedly leaves her. RA Grounded 2PC, Xbox; out 29 JulyThe sequel to Honey I Shrunk the Kids-style multiplayer game, in which you work in a team to fight off giant insects in an overgrown playground. Definitely not one for entomophobes. Tales of the ShirePC, PS5, Xbox, Switch; out 29 July Live that hobbit life in a refreshingly cosy take on the Lord of the Rings universe. No harrowing adventures here, just cooking, eating second breakfast and doing wee favours for your hairy-toed neighbours. Keza MacDonald Reneé Rapp Bite Me (out now) The 25-year-old actor, singer and non-stop quote machine (see her recent interview with comedian Ziwe for more details), returns with her second album of bolshy pop bops. Singles Mad and Leave Me Alone are pepped up vessels for brattish anger, while Why Is She Still Here? showcases Rapp's full-bodied voice. Wisp If Not Winter (out now) On Natalie R. Lu's debut album the San Francisco combines shoegaze, the Cocteau Twins and heavy rock, her featherlight voice often tossed about on waves of crashing guitars. That's showcased best on the heaving Breathes Onto Me, while electronic textures sparkle around the edge of Sword. The Armed The Future is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed (out now) After going fully meta on 2023's Perfect Saviors by critiquing the concept of rock stardom via an album full of arena rock, the mysterious – the official lineup has never been confirmed – collective return with an all-guns-blazing hardcore album. Well Made Play might start like the Killers but soon sound like an aneurysm. Laura Groves Yes (out now) This four-track follow-up to 2023's Radio Red album, finds Bradford-born singer, songwriter and producer Groves offering up more heartfelt, 80s-indebted soft-pop. Featuring collaborations with the likes of Joviale and Fabiana Palladino, it's a perfect showcase for Groves' sonic world-building and melodic prowess. Michael Cragg Hurricane Katrina: Race Against TimeMonday, Disney+ Two decades on from the devastating Hurricane Katrina, this moving five-part series features testimony from survivors on how the storm engulfed New Orleans and ushered in a new era of American emergency responses. Democracy:DifferentlyPodcast Academics Keith Hyams and Jessica Sutherland host this engaging and detailed podcast discussing the state of modern democracy. Alongside experts, they analyse the practical ways developments such as fake news and AI are affecting our politics today. DubnoteOnline A nifty new app for musicians and creatives, Dubnote turns phone voice notes into categorised and combinable records of the creative process. Sift through sketches and organise thoughts from your mobile rather than doom-scrolling. Ammar Kalia