Alexis Gregory: Queer Theatre, Grief and a Bold New UK Tour

Alexis Gregory
Photographer credit: Eivind Hansen — Alexis Gregory
All photos: Eivind Hansen

Ahead of its opening at the Omnibus Theatre, ALEXIS GREGORY discusses the evolution of SMOKE, its focus on queer experience, and a new, physically driven performance style

Alexis Gregory has established himself as a distinctive voice in contemporary British theatre, known for work that combines provocative subject matter with sharp, often dark humour. His latest production, SMOKE, a “savage comedy” confronting taboo subjects within the queer community, opens its 2026 UK tour at the Omnibus Theatre, following a sold out London run in 2024.

Written and performed by Gregory and directed by Campbell X, who returns for the 2026 tour, the piece begins with a striking premise: a man receives a message from his boyfriend, who has been dead for two years. From there, it unfolds into a fast paced, psychologically charged exploration of grief, addiction, mental health and queer experience in the digital age. Presented without set or lighting design, SMOKE adopts a deliberately stripped back, exposed staging, placing performer and audience in direct confrontation with its themes.

Touring in partnership with LGBTQ+ organisation You Are Loved, with post show discussions in each venue designed to open up local conversations, the production places community engagement at its core. Gregory spoke to us about the evolution of the piece and his shift towards a more naturalistic and physically driven performance style.

Red Bus: SMOKE has grown since its early days. What’s the biggest creative change you’ve made for this 2026 tour and why did the show need that “upgrade” now?

Alexis Gregory: I have, script wise, only changed minor aspects of the script. This could be for two reasons; because a line needs a little tweak to sound better, or because that little tweak really adds another layer of clarity to the script. This time around, I have more time with my director Campbell to add to the initial groundwork we did on SMOKE’s script for our initial 2024 run. This time round, Campbell and I are really working in a more somatic way; portraying the characters feelings and responses to the world, in a deeper and more physicalised way.

Red Bus: With so much of our lives lived through screens, why choose theatre to share your message?

Alexis Gregory: SMOKE definitely explores the current state of play you describe. The only prop in SMOKE is a mobile phone. Theatre is my field and what I am passionate about and how I communicate with audiences. I don’t have a massive desire to move into screen work. However, as your question indicates, SMOKE is about living via the camera’s lens, and we are in very early talks re a possible screen adaptation. So maybe it is time to make that move.

Red Bus: You’re starting at the Omnibus Theatre in Clapham before heading out on tour. Do you think the show’s “smoke” will hit differently in London versus the regions?

Alexis Gregory: I think it will. SMOKE is a unique piece. Not just in subject matter, but how we stage. We have no set, no lighting design, and I aim to deliver a totally naturalistic performance in the play. We strip everything away. I think people will not have seen a piece like this before, and I wonder too how it will be received, and processed, when we’re on the road. I’ll report back to you.

Red Bus: What’s the one key idea or question you want the audience to be debating on the bus home?

Alexis Gregory: All of my plays are multi-themed, so I hope SMOKE opens up differing conversations on the way home. The themes of drugs, suicide, grief, and queer alienation are the most prevalent in SMOKE (it’s a comedy too by the way), but also running through the play are explorations of gentrification, class, being the child of immigrants, what it means to be a man in 2026 and so much else. SMOKE is a multi-layered experience.

Red Bus: For those discovering your work through SMOKE, how would you describe the specific artistic approach or theatrical language you’ve brought to this production as both creator and performer?

Alexis Gregory: I am bringing my trademark hard-hitting and provocative meets sharp comedy style to SMOKE. It’s the perfect way for me to communicate the messages within each of my plays. I am doing something new with SMOKE too. I normally deliver a quite elevated theatrical performance but I’m going for the naturalism with this one. The writing, while people say it is poetic, and it definitely has a rhythm to it, is also rooted in naturalism. I like to mix things up. Audiences often say my current play feels different from the last – while still containing a thread that connects to my previous work. This is intentional. I like to give people different each time, and with Campbell, I am doing this with SMOKE too.

The 2026 UK tour for SMOKE runs from April through June in partnership with the LGBTQ+ organization You Are Loved. Each performance is followed by a curated 45-minute panel discussion. It is funded by Arts Council England.

(Smoke lead image by Tyler Kelly)