Kind of Love – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

Writer and Director: Stewart Campbell

Set against the charged political backdrop of late-90s Britain, Kind of Love arrives at Hope Mill Theatre with a spirited mix of nostalgia, hedonism and emotional reckoning. With Tony Blair’s New Labour in full swing and Parliament debating the gay age of consent, Stewart Campbell’s new play reminds us that for most young people during this time, life continued much as it did before – with all its messiness and impulse.

Written and directed by Campbell, Artistic Director of Manchester-based company Qweerdog, the play centres on four friends whose lives are forever altered following a lads’ holiday in Ibiza. Steffan (George Bellamy) comes out to his straight best friend Typey (Tom Ryder), sparking a ripple effect that reverberates long after the sun- and booze-soaked holiday ends.

The production is a stripped-back four-hander, with a fantastically poppy 90s soundtrack that propels the action forward and keeps the energy fizzing and the audience bopping between scenes. Neon lighting pops out of minimalist staging, and photos of 90s heartthrobs line the walls, grounding the piece firmly in its time. The simplicity of the staging places the focus squarely on the performances, all of which are delivered with pace and conviction by Bellamy, Ryder, Ben Goulding (Jay) and Rachel Burbridge (Gemma).

Ryder is the undeniable standout as Typey, capturing the painful contradiction of a young man torn between tenderness and toxic masculinity. His performance is raw, vulnerable and commanding, holding your attention even in the play’s quieter moments. Elsewhere, the production falters in the writing – plot turns often veer towards soap-opera melodrama, and the suspension of disbelief required to accept these clearly adult performers as school-age teens proves a bit of a stretch.

Nevertheless, Kind of Love is a spirited and nostalgic exploration of friendship, impulsivity and repression, offering a reflective snapshot of queer adolescence at the turn of the millennium. While its ambition at times outpaces the strength of the writing, the production’s energy and performances ensure it remains an engaging and thoughtful piece of theatre.

Runs until 1 March 2026