Exclusive first-look images from kinky new comedy Horse-Play

Words: Alastair James; pictures: Danny Kaan and Charles Flint

A new play exploring how the sexualities of middle-aged and older gay men are depicted opens in London today (Thursday 1 September) and Attitude has been allowed to show off some exclusive first-look images at what audiences are in store for. 

Ian Hallard’s comedy Horse-Play sees Holby City‘s David Ames and EastEnders‘ Jake Maskall play Tom and Tim respectively, a couple trying to keep their relationship fresh and keep each other happy after ten years of married life.

They do this by booking an evening in a dungeon with a gorgeous male escort.

More from the cast of @HorsePlayLondon! Here’s @JakeMaskall to tell you about @IanHallard‘s hilarious and outrageous new comedy.
We open at @RiversideLondon on 30 August. Don’t miss out! 🐎 https://t.co/zJlNzbuikn pic.twitter.com/UNGA92pPjl

— Horse-Play (@HorsePlayLondon) August 21, 2022

The play’s synopsis continues: “Meanwhile, crime-busting superhero, the Stallion, and his intrepid side-kick, Butterfly, have been lured to the secret lair of their arch-nemesis: the dastardly Villainor. 

“But what connects these two seemingly random events? One thing’s for sure: a bump on the head and a faulty door lock result in a night none of them will ever forget – for all the wrong reasons!”

Explaining the idea behind the play previously, Hallard told Attitude that he’d once seen a play where a middle-aged character had been cast as the villain and was in part defined by their taste in things like bondage.

“Not for the first time, the older gay character was predatory, creepy, and sleazy. I thought it might be nice to help redress the balance: to write something about characters whose kinks did not define them, and which certainly didn’t automatically make them bad people!”

Check out the images below:

David Ames & Jake Maskall in Horse-Play (Photo: Danny Kaan)

David Ames, Matt Lapinskas & Jake Maskall in Horse-Play (Photo: Danny Kaan)

David Ames, Matt Lapinskas & Jake Maskall in Horse-Play (Photo: Danny Kaan)

Jake Maskall & David Ames in Horse-Play (Photo: Charles Flint)

Jake Maskall in Horse-Play (Photo: Danny Kaan)

Jake Maskall in Horse-Play (Photo: Danny Kaan)

Matt Lapinskas in Horse-Play (Photo: Charles Flint)

Nick Sampson in Horse-Play (Photo: Danny Kaan)

Stephanie Siadatan in Horse-Play (Photo: Danny Kaan)

Horse-Play is running at the Riverside Studios from 30 August to 24 September 2022.

The Attitude September/October issue is out now.