London Theatre | 26 January – 13 February 2027
The Patron Saint of Soho is a new play telling the true story of David Stuart and his journey through Soho’s gay community from the late 1980s onwards. It runs at the White Bear Theatre in Kennington from 26 January to 13 February 2027, and tickets are on sale now.
Here are five reasons to book early.
1. An extraordinary true story
London, 1987. Nineteen-year-old David Stuart arrives from Australia with little more than ambition, charm and a determination to build a new life. Lost and alone, he’s welcomed into Soho’s LGBTQ+ community, where he finds work, friendship and a sense of belonging among a generation of outsiders.
2. Soho’s glamour and its darker side
As David rises through the city’s escort industry, he discovers both the glitter and the darkness beneath Soho’s surface. Spanning nearly twenty years, the play explores belonging, survival, addiction, love, loss and redemption.
3. A moving portrait of chosen family
Against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis, David forms the relationships that shape his life: Patti, a fiercely protective Soho veteran; Steven, the artist who offers him unconditional love; and Andy, the controlling agency owner. The play celebrates a generation affected by the epidemic, with plenty of humour alongside the heartbreak.
4. A special press night
Press night is Thursday 28 January 2027, which would have been David Stuart’s 60th birthday. The play is written by Rich Watkins, directed by Matthew Parker, designed by David Shields and produced by LAMBCO Productions.
5. Great fringe theatre at a fair price
The White Bear is one of south London’s best-loved pub theatres, and tickets are £19–£24 plus booking fees. The show is for ages 16+. It contains strong language, sexual references and situations, sex work, drug use and addiction, sexual coercion, HIV/AIDS, illness, death and bereavement, and themes of exploitation and emotional abuse.
Tickets and info
The Patron Saint of Soho
White Bear Theatre, 138 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4DJ
Tuesday 26 January – Saturday 13 February 2027
Tuesday to Saturday 7.30pm, Sunday 4pm
Tickets £19–£24 (plus booking fees) | Age 16+
Nearest station: Kennington