Fairlight

Fairlight is a brand new electropop musical about queer invisibility in tennis. Join us at the oldest lawn tennis club in the world for the world premiere of this powerful and playful show.

Named after the house where Harry Gem and Augurio Perera first invented the game in the 1860s, Fairlight retells the origin story of lawn tennis as an opposites-attract queer love story. With music inspired by the sounds of the Fairlight CMI, the world’s first commercially available sampler, the songs are interwoven with accounts of Victorian prosecutions of gay men, demonstrations of the rules of lawn tennis and interviews with current LGBT+ tennis professionals.

It’s an entertaining and moving show which explores why sport remains a place where many people struggle to be their authentic selves.

Audiences have said:
“Fantastic, fun, and thought-provoking.”
“Great music and powerful stories.”
“It needs to be seen.”

NOTE: This is an outdoor event

ADDRESS:
Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society
14a Westbourne Road Birmingham B15 3TR

TICKET TYPES:
All tickets are offered on a Pay What You Can basis.
There will be standing room, floor mats, and limited seating on chairs — please select your preferred seating type when purchasing your ticket.

Arts Council England
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Birmingham City University
Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society
Hinrichsen Foundation
John Feeney Charitable Trust
LTA
Pride In Tennis
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
The Grimmitt Trust
The Marchus Trust
Vaughan Williams Foundation
Warwickshire Tennis

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Created and performed by:
Alexandra Taylor
Michael Wolters
Paul Norman
Oli Clark
Tanna Chamberlain
Tej Brindley
Harry Belton

Produced by:
Jenny Bater-Sinclair
Andrei Mihnea Mandoiu

Tech Producer:
Joseph French