Girl Kisser returns to the Lion & Unicorn Theatre in Kentish Town this spring, reworked and enlarged. What began as a compact snapshot of queer life in London has been reshaped into something louder and looser: new songs, a bigger cast and a script that leans harder into comedy and music. The result is a hybrid that sits somewhere between a small gig and an intimate play—full of late-night energy, sharp banter and moments that land like confessions.
A short, candid clip helped push the piece beyond its initial run. After the Camden Fringe, six cast members dancing to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” outside the venue went viral on TikTok, reaching roughly 44,000 viewers. That buzz, along with a warm fringe reception, encouraged the creative team to expand the show and sharpen its theatrical edges.
What the production looks and sounds like now
At the heart of Girl Kisser is creator-performer Emily Ambrose, who sings her original material on a hot-pink electric guitar. The songs don’t sit in the background; they drive scenes, shift mood and often reveal what the characters won’t say out loud.
Director Hollie Milne has reshaped the sonic world, commissioning club-inflected tracks that pair moody textures with catchy hooks—music that can feel intimate one moment and euphoric the next. Movement director Rose Barwick has woven a physical language to match, moving between combustible, fast-paced chemistry and slower, quieter moments of disillusionment. Together, music and movement turn familiar queer scenes—shared flats, late-night bars, awkward coffee runs—into kinetic, theatrical set pieces.
Why the music-first approach matters
Treating live music as the primary storytelling device reframes how the audience reads the action. Lines that might otherwise serve as exposition become emotional peaks when delivered through song. The show borrows the pacing of a live gig—short, vivid bursts of feeling interspersed with breathless transitions—so that theatrical beats land with the immediacy of a setlist.
Community, accessibility and the offstage life of the show
From the start, Girl Kisser has been shaped by its community. The original run sparked post-show conversations in local pubs and casual creative sessions in kitchens; those informal exchanges helped refine the tone and humour of the piece. For the revived run, the team is keeping that grassroots spirit front and centre.
Practical outreach is part of the plan: workshops, post-show talks and partnerships with local LGBTQ+ organisations aim to extend the work beyond the theatre walls. Relaxed performances and accessible programming are also on the cards, with the intention of reaching people who might not usually go to the theatre. Social media continues to play a role—the production posts at @girlkisserplay on Instagram and TikTok—helping connect with clubbers and theatre-goers alike.
Sustainability and touring intentions
The team is thinking about footprint as well as footprintlights. Plans under consideration include locally sourced set materials, lower-carbon travel for future dates and recycling or repurposing props. These are practical steps rather than grand statements: small changes that make touring more feasible and community partnerships more meaningful. Conversations are underway about bringing the show to community theatres and neighbourhood venues that rarely host queer-led work.
Critical questions the production raises
At its best, Girl Kisser reframes private heartbreak and desire as public questions about friendship, memory and the marked-up terrain of queer nightlife. Can exes stay friends without wiping their history clean? Does nightlife always equal liberation, or can it reproduce harm and exclusion? The show doesn’t hand the audience tidy answers; instead it stages those questions in short, often funny scenes that pivot quickly into song.
The staging favours quick transitions and acoustic clarity so the music punctuates plot beats rather than prettifies them. Early rehearsals suggest the company is keen to keep the music and the moral questions in constant dialogue—so the laughs are often shaded with a sting.
A short, candid clip helped push the piece beyond its initial run. After the Camden Fringe, six cast members dancing to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” outside the venue went viral on TikTok, reaching roughly 44,000 viewers. That buzz, along with a warm fringe reception, encouraged the creative team to expand the show and sharpen its theatrical edges.0
A short, candid clip helped push the piece beyond its initial run. After the Camden Fringe, six cast members dancing to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” outside the venue went viral on TikTok, reaching roughly 44,000 viewers. That buzz, along with a warm fringe reception, encouraged the creative team to expand the show and sharpen its theatrical edges.1