As part of the Pride in London Festival, Aaron Vodovoz produces the UK Premiere of

Lonely Planet

By Steven Dietz, Directed By Ian Brown

This production marks the UK Premiere of Lonely Planet,written by award-winning playwright Steven Dietz, one of the most prolific and produced playwrights in the US.

It's the 1980's in an unknown American city.

There is no internet, and mobile phones are a rarity; sharing information and knowledge is near impossible. It's dark, and communication is hard. A poster appears at a local store, it's a photo of a person's torso with lesions all over. It's an unknown condition that spreads quickly.

The play focuses on the friendship between Jody, a cautious and thoughtful man who insulates himself in the map store he owns; and Carl, a frequent visitor to the store with an unusually vivid imagination and multiple, ever-changing occupations. Carl notices Jody has been isolating himself from the world and starts bringing chairs into his shop to convince him to confront the fears that prevent him from leaving his store.

Steven Dietz‘s 1993 two-hander Lonely Planet is a moving, funny and intimate play that focuses on the friendship between gay men Jody and Carl, played by Alexander McMorran and Aaron Vodovoz. The play shows an individual’s struggle to come to terms with illness, their own mortality and the stigma associated with AIDS.

This Production was funded by Arts Council England and nominated for an Offie for Best Set Design

REVIEWS

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Plays like Angels in America and My Night with Reg may have the bigger reputation, but this production of Lonely Planet has the bigger heart and greater storytelling power,” -Theatre Weekly

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Grabbing your attention from the start, this two-hander is packed with mesmerising and energetic acting” -Boyz

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “An enormously enthralling piece of drama” -Act Drop

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Astonishing attention to detail and a wildly talented team make ‘Lonely Planet’ one of the most exciting fringe performances you can expect to see this year” -Arthur’s Seat

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Lonely Planet is a remarkable play that challenges us to face our fate of fearing the unknown” -LondonTheatre1

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The two actors were superb, everything felt so natural, and the dynamic between them really made the show great…Important and unmissable production.” -Everything Theatre

Q&A’s, fundraising & collaboration

Throughout our Q&A sessions, we fundraised a total of £525 for the National Aids Trust and the Terrence Higgins Trust. We are so thankful to have been supported and to have collaborated with these two leading UK HIV charities to create four post-show Q&A sessions. Thanks to their support, we were able to invite some truly inspiring survivors, doctors, and professionals dealing with the HIV pandemic in the past and today.

National AIDS Trust

We work to stop HIV from standing in the way of health, dignity, and equality, and to end new HIV transmissions. Our expertise, research, and advocacy secure lasting change to the lives of people living with and at risk of HIV.

Our vision is a world where HIV does not stand in the way of health, dignity and equality.

Our purpose is to stand alongside and defend the rights of everyone living with, affected by or at risk of HIV. Our expertise, research and advocacy secure lasting change to the lives of people living with and at risk of HIV. And we won’t stop until everyone affected by HIV can live their fullest life possible.

Terrence Higgins Trust

Terrence Higgins Trust is at the forefront of the fight against HIV, ending new cases of HIV in the UK by 2030, and eradicating HIV stigma. Our work is underpinned by our vision, mission and values.

Thank you to our generous Q&A Speakers;

Jonathan was amongst the first men to be diagnosed with HIV in the UK and has been living with HIV ever since. He was told he would die within 3 months and has survived for 35 years and still going strong!
Clinical researcher specializing in HIV treatment, and he’s the director of HIV clinical research at the Royal Free Centre for HIV Medicine. He publicised the concept of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP) for HIV and has studied the health economics of HIV therapy.
Sexual health and HIV consultant at King’s College Hospital, where he is the clinical lead for sexual health services. He is also the medical director of Terrence Higgins Trust.
Yusef works for the National Aids Trust (NAT) and is the Director of Strategy for their Policy & Campaigns team.
Medical advisor and weekly health column writer for The Evening Standard, Dr Jessen is the presenter of BAFTA award-winning Embarrassing Bodies.
Diagnosed with HIV in 1987, he was told he would die within 6 months. He has now survived for 30 years living with HIV.