Brutally moving Edinburgh hit coming to Exeter

Fast paced adaptation of Josh Kilmer-Purcell's best-selling autobiography I Am Not Myself These Days

Written and performed by Tom Stuart, directed by Nick Bagnall, produced by Fuel

‘Heartbreaking and brilliant’ EdFringe Review

At the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe the extraordinarily compelling tour-de-force performance of Tom Stuart, in his own adaptation of the best-selling memoir, became one of the talking points of the Festival. Audiences were visibly moved by the story of alcoholic drag queen Aqua desperately trying to make a relationship work with Jack, a scene regular. Now South West audiences have an opportunity to see it when it comes to Exeter’s Bike Shed Theatre on Tuesday/Wednesday 22/23 February as part of a UK tour that includes a two-week London run.

‘Tom Stuart's performance is breathtakingly physical... A well-constructed adaptation of a brutal story told with energy and compassion’ The Stage *****

I Am Not Myself These Days is a fast-paced one-man show that is by turns brutal, funny and heartbreaking, a gripping tale of love and self-discovery set amidst the hedonistic excesses of 1990’s New York. It is adapted for the stage from Josh Kilmer-Purcell's New York Times Bestseller, a darkly humorous autobiographical story of a young New Yorker's unconventional journey to self-acceptance while living a daring dual life - advertising art director by day, glitter-dripping drag queen by night.

‘Profoundly affecting, by turns warm, bitter, optimistic, cynical and deeply, profoundly human’ ThreeWeeks ****

Although the characters pride themselves on their unconventionality, their problems are universal. Tom Stuart felt compelled to adapt the novel for the stage to bring the personal journey of a marginalised member of society into a wider context, seeking to help break down the barriers of prejudice.

Tom, who was originally given the book by his friend actor Kathy Burke with whom he was making a TV programme at the time, puts it like this ‘it’s such an incredibly honest, open and engaging book. I wanted to see if I could extend that honesty to the stage and make an audience feel how I felt reading the book alone in my bed. I like to think of it as a love story, albeit an unconventional one. Although set in a specific time and place, I think most people will be able to relate to and recognise something of themselves in it, whatever their background or circumstances.’

‘Stuart is a charismatic presence and a fine actor and storyteller’ Scotsman

Tom Stuart works extensively in theatre around the UK and appears frequently at Shakespeare’s Globe. His TV work includes Kathy Burke’s Walking and Talking, Psychobitches, Little Crackers and Law and Order. Films include Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Michael Winterbottom’s The Look of Love', and John Boorman’s Queen & Country.

‘Tom Stuart preens to perfection as Paris’ Time Out (Last Days of Troy, Manchester Royal Exchange)

Director Nick Bagnall is associate director at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse. His most recent work includes
The Odyssey: Missing presumed dead - ETT/ Liverpool Everyman; The Last Days Of Troy - Royal Exchange, Manchester/Shakespeare’s Globe and The Henry VI Trilogy - Shakespeare’s Globe.