A father waits for his son. Kids hang around skipping school. Fights break out after nights of drinking. Featuring six actors in multiple roles Boys on the Verge of Tears is a bold, kaleidoscopic tale of violence and vulnerability, set entirely in the confines of a men’s public toilet.
‘Wild, thrilling, brutally honest and beautifully tender. This is a truly extraordinary new play.‘
Written by Sam Grabiner, the 2022 winner of Soho Theatre’s acclaimed Verity Bargate Award, Boys on the Verge of Tears is a ‘brutal, tender’ exploration of what it is to be a man and is directed by James Macdonald, whose highly acclaimed productions include premieres by Caryl Churchill, Annie Baker and Sarah Kane.
‘A fearless, funny, heart-stopping play about being a boy and becoming a man‘
Boys on the Verge of Tears was selected from 1,500 entries to the Verity Bargate Award, sponsored by Character 7. The award’s main prize is a fully staged production at Soho Theatre. The judging panel included industry experts James Graham (Dear England; The Crown), April de Angelis (Jumpy, Royal Court; West End), and BAFTA-nominated Theresa Ikoko (Girls, HighTide & Soho Theatre). Previous panellists have included Phoebe Waller Bridge, Laura Wade and Russell T Davies.