We wish we could quit you looking at these new pics from the London production of Brokeback Mountain. While these aren’t the first images we’ve gotten to see from the buzz-worthy musical adaptation, they are perhaps the steamiest.
Based on Annie Proulx’s short story and the 2005 Oscar Award-winning film, the show stars Boy Erased‘s Lucas Hedges as Ennis Del Mar and Mike Faist (of West Side Story fame) as Jack Twist.
At a time when being gay was a death sentence, the two Wyoming cowboys meet and find themselves overtaken by passion while herding sheep… on none other than Brokeback Mountain. Though they end up marrying women, neither can quite get over their forbidden romance, despite feeling that a future together is impossible.
While it’s not the kind of bombastic story that’s inspired musicals like The Prom or Wicked, their vulnerable journey and raw moments of intimacy provide fertile ground for a genuinely moving show that’s pushed along by powerful and moody country-flavored tunes. You can check out Queerty’s review here for our full breakdown.
Billed as “A play with music,” the production has garnered rave reviews from the likes of The Guardian and the Evening Standard. The script was written by playwright Ashley Robinson, who understood how much Brokeback means to the LGBTQ+ community and took care in adapting it for the stage.
“Brokeback Mountain was certainly the first time I identified with anything as a queer man,” he recently told Brooklyn. “I’d never seen a rural gay love story. So it was really the first time I recognized myself, which is why I fell in love with it, tragic as it is.”
The new production stills further emphasize the softness behind the two men’s love story despite their sad circumstances. Hedges and Faist are photographed in a shirtless embrace in bed, though their physical closeness does little to ease expressions of desperation and regret.
Another photo showcases a moment of confusion and hurt from actress Emily Fairn, who portrays Ennis’ wife Alma, while the final pic offers a moment of levity for Faist’s character, who is photographed grinning from ear to ear in his cowboy getup.
Although the musical’s limited run in London is soon coming to a close, Robinson is hopeful that a New York production is in the cards. “There’s lots of interest and conversations happening,” he told Brooklyn. “And, you know, the right producer and the right theater will find us.”
Check out the images below.
Fingers crossed that we get to see Brokeback Mountain on a Broadway stage sooner rather than later! Until then, check out the trailer below for the West End production, which runs at @sohoplace in London through August 12.
abfab
They don’t have mountains in the UK.
josh75i
The most certainly do have mountains in the UK.
abfab
Oh good, someone is awake. I can review these horrible productions as I see fit.
theherald
How is this comment relevant? The story is not set in the UK.
Donston
While ‘Brokeback’ was groundbreaking and still holds up as at least solid, it does already feel kinda dated and if its time. While it unfortunately ushered in an era of promoted “gay movies” dominated by “masc” men in hetero relationships played most by “straight-presenting”/“straight-ish” actors which mostly focuses on the sex part of queerdom and queer relationships. It already feels like a well worn story. I am somewhat intrigued by just how cringe-y or non-cringe-y the musical is though.
Donston
And at least maybe the musical improved on the movie’s portrayal of Jack and Ennis’ relationship. Their dynamic always came off as a shallow friendship where both parties happen to be attracted to each other/enjoy sex with each other. The understanding of each other and the romantic and emotional bonds and investment never felt fleshed out, especially for a movie that was supposed to reflect an affair and “love story” that spanned years.
ShaverC
That’s the problem, it’s not a love story. I like the story and the film very much and especially in the film Ennis very much wants to be with Jack but he’s too afraid. It’s a broken love story, one that doesn’t get a happy ending and that’s how Annie Proulx meant for it to be.
Donston
Yeah, I understand the concept of tragedy. My issues are clear. I felt very little chemistry between Ledger and Gyllenhaal, despite them giving good individual performances. (The best scenes of the move for me are easily the ones between Ledger and Michelle Williams). I never felt any real romantic and emotional bond between Ennis and Jack, or even sexual attraction and desire, or even a sense of them understanding one another and wanting to be there for each one another. The film was billed and promoted as a “love story”. But more than two-thirds of it is focused on their hetero exploits. The film works better when viewed as the story of two sad, confused, misguided men in the wrong time and place. But even when viewed that way, it’s just a solid film for me. I’m glad that many still love the film, and I considered it one of the better movies of 2005, and it definitely should have won the Best Picture Oscar over Crash. I just don’t love it.
abfab
What do you want! They were from South Dakota!
MDerek
It’s a Play with live music performed. The characters in the Play do not sing and dance.
Louis
(Not so) interesting fun fact.
They were not cowboys. They were shepherds.
You look at what they wear and sure, you think cowboy.
You look at their job and the reason they’re on the mountain, they’re shepherds.
Diplomat
Probably the best gay movie of all time which will never get old. For an A+gay movie it’s searing production quality has yet to be beat.
The play opened with mixed reviews with people falling asleep in the audience. No sex scene lack of touch between the actors no kissing etc. This trailer looks good as do the pix. Maybe they upped the anti and changed the play up a bit to more resemble the movie script.
tjack47
The short story is exactly what played onscreen. I was thrilled that Larry Mcmurtry was involved. By the time I made it to Archer City, Texas, he and his bookstore were long gone. The story was reflective of the times. I was raised 30 minutes from the setting where Jack works for his father-in-law at his farm equipment implement. My granddad had a farm equipment implement in my hometown. They portrayed and Lee directed an absolutely stunning film. Where I am now, they wouldn’t buy it for our video store. I drove 2 hours round trip to and from Amarillo to buy it at Walmart. They wouldn’t buy Harry Potter movies here either, because you know, sorcery.
Rikki Roze
I’d move.
Donston
X
Davey_W
I’m hoping the issues get fixed when it moves to New York. I really like Lucas Hedges and have seen him a couple of times in theatre in New York. He’s a good actor.