Creating LGBTQ + drama in the age of COVID-19: an interview with Tom Wright

Abstract

In this interview, writer, director, dramaturg, and producer Tom Wright and I examine his experiences with creating LGBTQ + theatre and film during the pandemic. We discuss some of the changes to theatre as an art form, as well as how he negotiates with them. We go on to analyze his two recent offerings: Very Special Guest Star (2021), which had its premiere at the Omnibus Theatre, and I Ain’t Dumb (2022), which premiered in Wright’s hometown, at the Belgrade Theatre Coventry, as part of UK City of Culture celebrations. We conclude by looking at Wright’s first short film ‘Stockholm’ (2021). This interview advances scholarship in two significant respects: first, it offers insights into Wright’s growth as an artist—that is, as a writer, director, and now a filmmaker—and secondly, it illustrates the capacity of theatre and film to explore issues that have remained pressing to the LGBTQ + community, including adoption, mixed-race relationships, and hyphenated identities.