Important Info

Type: Play

City: London, Great Britain

Starts at: 19:15

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

Can I choose my seats?

You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Cast

Performers

Actor: Danny Sapani (Barry)

Actress: Gabrielle Brooks (Maxine / Young Merty)

Actor: Gary Beadle (Morris)

Actress: Jenny Jules (Candaisy / Odette)

Actor: Jo Martin (Carmel)

Actress: Llewella Gideon (Merty / Augustina)

Actress: Suzette Llewellyn (Asseleitha / Cynthia)

Actor: Terique Jarrett (Daniel / Young Barry)

Creators

Composer: Joseph Roberts

Writer: Bernardine Evaristo

Director: Paulette Randall MBE

Costume designer: Tim Hatley

Overview

Some love lasts a lifetime. Some secrets do too. Barrington Walker will tell you he has everything he could possibly want. Dapper and full of charm, he’s a husband, father, grandfather and a man of standing in his Hackney community. But Barry is also carrying a truth he has never managed to share…for the last 60 years he’s been in a secret relationship with his best friend Morris. A story of love, family, and what it means to finally choose yourself, Mr Loverman spans six decades of life from Antigua to modern-day London. Danny Sapani is Barrington and Gary Beadle is Morris in Natasha Gordon’s (Nine Night) funny and tender adaptation of Bernardine Evaristo’s acclaimed novel, directed by Paulette Randall MBE (Doctor Faustus).

Natasha Gordon adapts Bernardine Evaristo’s acclaimed novel for the stage, directed by Paulette Randall. The play follows Barry, a charismatic married man in Hackney who has secretly maintained a 60-year romantic relationship with his best friend, Morris. It is a tender and humorous story about love, family, identity and the courage to choose your own life.

Mr Loverman is a funny, moving and deeply human stage adaptation of Bernardine Evaristo’s acclaimed novel, written by Natasha Gordon and directed by Paulette Randall.

The story centres on Barrington Walker, known as Barry, a stylish and charismatic man who has built a respected life in his Hackney community. He is a husband, father and grandfather, but behind this public identity lies a secret he has carried for six decades: his enduring romantic relationship with his best friend, Morris.

As Barry reaches a turning point, he must consider what it means to live honestly and whether it is possible to pursue happiness without destroying the relationships that have shaped his life. The play moves across six decades, from Antigua to contemporary London, examining the intersections of sexuality, family, migration, cultural expectations and personal freedom.

With warmth, humour and emotional honesty, Mr Loverman asks whether it is ever too late to tell the truth and begin living on your own terms.

History

Natasha Gordon adapts Bernardine Evaristo’s acclaimed novel for the stage, directed by Paulette Randall. The play follows Barry, a charismatic married man in Hackney who has secretly maintained a 60-year romantic relationship with his best friend, Morris. It is a tender and humorous story about love, family, identity and the courage to choose your own life.

Synopsis

Barrington “Barry” Walker is a respected husband, father and grandfather living in Hackney. To his family and community, he appears to have everything. But Barry has kept a life-changing secret: for 60 years, he has been in love with his best friend, Morris.

As Barry begins to confront the truth about his sexuality and the life he has built, his relationships with his wife Carmel, his family and Morris are placed under pressure. Spanning six decades and moving between Antigua and modern-day London, the play explores love, family, secrecy and the possibility of finally choosing oneself.

Barrington “Barry” Walker is a respected husband, father and grandfather living in Hackney. To his family and community, he appears to have everything. But Barry has kept a life-changing secret: for 60 years, he has been in love with his best friend, Morris.

As Barry begins to confront the truth about his sexuality and the life he has built, his relationships with his wife Carmel, his family and Morris are placed under pressure. Spanning six decades and moving between Antigua and modern-day London, the play explores love, family, secrecy and the possibility of finally choosing oneself.

Venue Info

National Theatre of Great Britain - London
Upper Ground

The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. Internationally, it is known as the National Theatre of Great Britain. The National Theatre building houses three separate theatres.

From its foundation in 1963 until 1976, the company was based at The Old Vic theatre in Waterloo. The current building is located next to the Thames in the South Bank area of central London. In addition to performances at the National Theatre building, the National Theatre tours productions at theatres across the United Kingdom.

Permission to add the "Royal" prefix to the name of the theatre was given in 1988, but the full title is rarely used. The theatre presents a varied programme, including Shakespeare, other international classic drama, and new plays by contemporary playwrights. Each auditorium in the theatre can run up to three shows in repertoire, thus further widening the number of plays which can be put on during any one season.

In June 2009, the theatre began National Theatre Live (NT Live), a programme of simulcasts of live productions to cinemas, first in the United Kingdom and then internationally. The programme began with a production of Phèdre, starring Helen Mirren, which was screened live in 70 cinemas across the UK. NT Live productions have since been broadcast to over 2,500 venues in 60 countries around the world.

Mr Loverman

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National Theatre of Great Britain - London Upper Ground

National Theatre of Great Britain - London
Upper Ground