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What's on in London: Love Quirks

The UK premiere of the musical by Mark Childers and Seth Bisen-Hersh.

Gaydar

28 Aug 2025 — 5 min read

Making it's UK premiere, the cast has been announced for Love Quirks - a musical that will be staged at The Other Palace Studio.

Directed by Cecilie Fray, the cast comprises Lewis Bear Brown, Clodagh Greene, Ayesha Patel, and Tom Newland.

Written by Mark Childers and Seth Bisen-Hersh, Love Quirks centres four broken hearts who must face the past and look to the future with laughter, pathos, and sexual tension as they navigate the emotional chaos of adulthood.

Love Quirks will run at The Other Palace Studio from 18 September to 12 October

Lewis Bear Brown on How To Date Men

For our podcast, How To Date Men, we caught up with Lewis Bear Brown for a behind-the-scenes look at Love Quirks.

In the conversation we talk influences, dream roles, and why you need to invest time into finding love.

Listen to the episode

Congratulations on joining the cast of Love Quirks. How did it feel when you got the confirmation that you'd booked the role of Ryan?

It really felt amazing because I've just come back from Pretty Woman. So was a bit, I was feeling a bit down because I was like, I haven't got any work in between. And then I've gone through these auditions and I found out.

Last time, I'd recorded my reaction, and I wanted to make a video out of it basically. But I decided to call my mum and I was like, this will make a really cute video. Because a lot of people do that sort of thing. call their mum and they say, I've got this job. And she's like, I can't talk. I can't talk. I'm just getting in the shower. I'm just naked at the moment. I just kept it in because I thought that was really funny.

Love Quirks is a musical that centres on the stories of four broken hearts who are dealing with their past and looking to the future. Is a broken heart something that you can relate to at all?

My theory is that gay people start dating much later on in life. Obviously, because you're in the closet a lot, I started dating around 18. So then I feel like a lot of gay people's mistakes happen then. But it's like you're already mature. So it's a bit weird.

I remember in the audition, I was like, I don't even have to act. This is me.

You're into rehearsals for Love Quirks. What can you tell us about the character of Ryan?

He's moving in with someone that he's only known for like two months. He's trying to find the perfect one.

I won't spoil it too much but there are a few things that get on his nerves.

You trained in musical theatre - when did you realise that musical theatre was what you were passionate about and what you wanted to pursue?

I was quite good at school. I did Japanese. I wanted to do maybe like neuroscience - I was really interested in the brain and stuff.

And then I got into my A levels and I was just so bored.

I love music - I learned piano and went to drama club. I just felt that I needed to do something creative.

I got into drama school and I just loved it.

Who were some of your early musical theatre influences?

I've always been drawn to horror and new musicals. My inspiration was performers like Lady Gaga.

I was into Spring Awakening - and Wicked, of course.

Any dream roles? Any characters or roles you'd like to bring to life on the stage?

Hedwig. The MC in Cabaret - I feel like that needs to be my next step. Anything horror - I love a bit of Sweeney Todd.

You're smashing it on social media - is creating social media content now pretty much essential for performers? Should musical theatre training be including social media 1.01 in their coursework?

It's a double-edged sword because you get a lot of people who say things like, when I went into the audition, they asked for our follower count. And I've never experienced that. It's more like, that's your foot in the door. That's how to get discovered. I know so many people - so many influencers - who have like

millions of followers and are really talented and have got to the final for huge roles and just haven't got it and the person that has got it hasn't got a following. So there's that, but at the same time I a-thousand-percent wouldn't be in my position now - I'd be doing much smaller things.

You're currently focused on Love Quirks - have you thought beyond that at all? What else is on the vision board for the months ahead?

I want to start writing music. I want to start writing a musical. It's time - I've done enough small sketches, I think I need to make a big product.

What do you hope that people feel when they come to see Love Quirks?

I hope people realise that love and dating isn't something that just - I know a lot of people say, it just happened when I wasn't looking for it. Sometimes you have to look for it. Like you have to almost treat it like you do your trampolining, you do your horse riding and then you've got your dating as well.

I think before it was easier because there was less choice and it wasn't like a competition. Whereas now, I think you do have to invest time into it - you can't just sit around and wait.

I hope people realise that love is an investment and it is something that you've got to put time in. And if you're not sure, don't force it.