Poster for the play "Lonely Planet" by Steven Dietz, part of Pride in London 2018, featuring two men standing and sitting amidst overturned chairs with a cityscape silhouette in the background. The poster includes event dates, location, and ticket information.

Lonely Planet

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Loving, intelligent and real – Lonely  Planet will remind you of your humanity.”  -Love London Love Culture

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “McMorran and Vodovoz are excellent in their respective roles, the proverbial odd couple who annoy each other no end, but who also never give up on each other.”   -Breaking the Fourth Wall  

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Plays like Angels in America may have the bigger reputation, but Lonely Planet is packed with humility and honesty, and shows the human side of a devastating era.”  -Theatre Weekly 

WEst end Transfer

Transferring from the Tabard Theatre to Trafalgar Studios for a strictly limited run

'Lonely Planet' is a wonderfully moving, funny and intimate play that focuses on the friendship between Jody, a cautious and thoughtful man who owns a map store; and Carl, a frequent visitor to the store with an unusually vivid imagination and multiple, ever-changing occupations. The play shows an individual’s struggle to come to terms with illness, their own mortality and the stigma associated with AIDS.

Two men in a cluttered workspace or workshop. One man, on the left, is standing and appears to be passionately speaking or singing, holding his hand to his chest and clutching his shirt with his other hand. He is wearing a red and white striped shirt and jeans. The other man, on the right, is seated at a desk or table, looking at the standing man with an inquisitive or concerned expression, with a beard, wearing an beige shirt with suspenders. The background includes shelves with maps, a globe, rolls of paper, and various office or workshop supplies. The workspace has an eclectic, somewhat cluttered appearance.

Sponsored by Pasante and INSTI self-test kits, and playing at Trafalgar Studio 2 in the run-up to London’s iconic Pride parade, don’t miss this heartfelt and witty production. Must end 7 July.

It’s the 1980s in an unknown American city. There is no internet and mobile phones are a rarity, sharing information and knowledge is near impossible. A poster appears at a local store of a person’s torso with lesions all over. It’s an unknown condition that spreads quickly.

This is how people became aware of an unknown virus which ended up decimating the gay community. The medical world barely knew what it was or how it got passed around, let alone the people themselves. The moment you realise you’ve contracted this disease, it’s just too late.

Within a climate of social stigma, isolation, and governmental neglect how would you react if you thought you might have a life-threatening disease? Would you want to know, or would you prefer to stay oblivious and isolate yourself?

A man with curly hair wearing a brown jacket and striped shirt holding a wooden chair. The background includes maps on the wall and a blackboard.
A man sitting and reading a book titled 'The Chairs' inside a library, while another man with curly hair and a mustache stands behind him and combs his hair with an orange comb.

“Wry and gently moving… McMorran and Vodovoz spark off each other playfully” -The Stage

“Wonderfully detailed performances from McMorran and Vodovoz.” -WhatsOnStage

“David Allen’s intricate set design results in a space that is both intimately charming and frustratingly cluttered” -The Spy In the Stalls

Lonely Planet Q&A Speakers

Jonathan Blake

David Stuart

Patrick Cash

Leigh Chislett

Remziye Kunelaki

Dr. Mike Youle

Dr. Michael Brady

Yusef Azad

Dr. Rupert Whitaker

And

Rebecca Tallon-De Havilland

Special Thanks to our

Two men are in a room with maps on the wall. One man with curly hair and a mustache is holding a leather bag and looking at the other man, who has shoulder-length hair and is dressed in a striped shirt and vest. There are wooden chairs and some rolled-up papers or posters on the shelves.

And our sponsors and collaborators

Pasante logo on a black background
HIV self-test kit branding logo with the text "HIV Self Test" and a swoosh graphic
A blue card with the words "Supporting" in white script font on a light blue background and "Terence Higgs Tust" in bold white font on a dark blue background, with a white heart outline with an arrow.
Poster for Pride Festival in London, running from June 9th to July 7th, 2018, with colorful graphics and text.
Logo with red background and white text that reads 'Transforming the UK's response to HIV' alongside the NATA logo with a red ribbon.
A bald man sitting on a blue chair, speaking and gesturing with his hand in a room with windows and empty chairs.
Two men facing each other in a room. One man on the left has curly hair and is wearing a maroon long-sleeve shirt, gesturing with his hand. The other man on the right has wavy hair and a beard, wearing a white shirt, with his hands at his sides. Behi
Two men in a room with white brick walls and a wooden drying rack with butterfly illustrations. One man with brown hair and a beard is seated at a desk, while the other man with curly hair and a light beard is standing beside him, gesturing with his
Two men are engaged in a conversation in a room with white brick walls. One man, seated with his arms crossed and looking upwards, has gray hair and a beard. The other man, standing and holding a paper, has curly hair and is speaking with a hand gest
A man with long brown hair and a beard, wearing a white shirt, sitting at a wooden table in a room with white brick walls. There are blue chairs stacked behind him and some papers and a small device on the table.
Two men are engaged in an intense conversation in a room filled with maps, rolled papers, and shelving units. One man has curly hair and is wearing a leather jacket with a striped shirt. The other man has a beard, shoulder-length hair, and suspenders
A man with brown hair and beard, wearing a light-colored shirt with suspenders, stands in a dimly lit room among several wooden chairs and tables. The man appears emotional, with his head bowed and eyes closed.
A man with shoulder-length hair and a beard standing in a room with maps on the wall, pointing at a large map of the world on an easel. The room contains various office and decorative items including rolled-up papers, a vintage typewriter, and a glob
Two men are inside a room with a wooden wall and shelves. One man with curly hair and a striped red and white shirt is standing, while the other man with a beard and suspenders is seated, reading a book. The room is decorated with maps, a globe, and
A man with a beard and mustache wearing a beige shirt with rolled-up sleeves, suspenders, and black pants standing in a room with maps and posters on the wall behind him.
Scene from a theatrical play depicting a chaotic office setting with cluttered desks, maps on the walls, and two characters engaged in a humorous struggle involving a cardboard tube, with one lying on the floor and the other standing and covering his

CAST

Alexander McMorran | Jody

Aaron Vodovoz | Carl

CREATIVE TEAM

Steven Dietz | Playwright

Ian Brown | Director

Nik Corrall | Costume Designer

Will Scarnell | Lighting Designer

David Allen | Set Designer

Peter West | Sound Designer

Rachel Graham | SM & PM

Aaron Vodovoz | Executive Producer

Rebekah Harvey | Associate Producer

Kate Morley | PR

JHI Marketing | Marketing

Richard Hubert-Smith | Production Photography