http://www.breakaleggers.co.uk/

The Break A Leggers, Rugby (2026)

20/02/2026

So last night I, Legger Jude, headed to Birmingham Rep for The Battle - a funny, sometimes surreal, swaggering, and sharply observed romp through Britpop’s most deliciously petty chart war.

Oasis Vs. Blur.
Official UK Singles Chart #1
1995

It's genuinely amazing that those of us who lived through that time had the energy spare to give a s**t, to be honest.

For me, any "those were the days" pangs of nostalgia largely came as a result of the acknowledgement that ignorant innocence was a thing well and truly lost to us all here in 2026.

For f**k sake! 😫

Anyways, t’s loud, funny, strangely tender at times (TENDER! HA!), and showcases many accomplished performances that capture the ego, chaos, and cultural lightning of that moment.

But let’s not pretend I’m thinking about anything other than Will Taylor as Graham Coxon.

Cos, FUUUUUCK!! 🤯

A genuinely electrifying performance. Precise, raw, magnetic, considered, hilarious. The kind of turn that makes you sit forward and think, “Right. Yeah. That one. Wherever he's going next, I want - nay NEED - eyes on that thankyouplease.”

One of the most engaging of all time for me, without any hesitation.

An ensemble success, yes. Of course!

But sometimes a single performance just grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go.

So, yeah, - THANK YOU.
And you don't need to tell the rest of em, if you don't want to obvs; but you're gonna have to colour me a bonafide fanboy from here on in.

Mate? I *BOW*!

Fellow Leggers, if you can - go.

Then try not to obsess over the Taylor/Coxon experience.

But I'd you go, and do, I'd love to share that with you!

Ledger Jude
✌🏼👍🏼

16/11/2025

🌟 In Honour and in Most Fabulous Memory of Judy Mansfield 🌟

Some people move through the world gently but leave behind seismic shockwaves of goodness. 💛

🏳️‍🌈The celebrant at our wedding, a decades-long LGBT+ ally 🏳️‍⚧️, and a woman whose kindness was never performative - it was a full-on force.

✊🏻She showed up. Stood up. Loved loudly.

And Judy… oh, Judy was the definition of a committed Rocky Horror fan. Not the casual “I’ve seen the show once or twice” type - the ultimate real deal. 😈

💋The kind who never failed to dress up, throw herself into the chaos, shout the callbacks, and live every beat of it as if the Time Warp was a religious ritual.

She didn’t just “dream it,” she bloody be it - every feather, fishnet and flicker of glitter. ✨

⭐A superfan in the purest, most joyful sense.
A woman who understood that embracing camp, q***rness, and theatrical abandon is the most fabulous form of love.

Rest in power, Judy 💛

(and give Frank-N-Furter a cheeky little grope from me! 😉)

Legger Jude xx

03/10/2025

🌹💔 We say goodbye to an absolute legend today — Dame Patricia Routledge, who has passed away aged 96.

Best known to many as the inimitable Hyacinth Bucket (“It’s pronounced Bouquet!”), Patricia was far more than a sitcom icon. She was a powerhouse of stage and screen, a Shakespearean actor, a classical singer, and a woman who built a career on talent, wit, and unmatched delivery — all while staying fiercely herself in an industry that often asked for less.

She gave us laughs. She gave us drama. And she gave us moments of q***r-coded brilliance that made her a camp classic in every sense of the word. Her performances weren’t just perfect — they were precise. Effortlessly navigating comedy and tragedy, Patricia gave generations of LGBT+ folks a character to quote, adore, and find comfort in.

Rest in peace, Dame Patricia. You had standards — and you made sure the rest of us kept them up. 🎭🌹

11/08/2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
at Old Joint Stock will send your circuits haywire with pure delight!

Playing throughout August the B'ham proves once again that mind-blowing theatre truly does come in the tiniest of packages. This time digitally through a grey oblong pill packing the timeliest of punches through quantum nanotechnological world of breakneck speed A.I progress feels all the more real (or unreal?) in the ten years since this premiered and I couldn't have wished to have been more thrilled in the here and now for it!

What OJS have accomplished with their production of this cult musical got me completely wired with this next this brilliant next-gen projection of what would happen if you took Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors rendered into pixels before injecting more than a little spark of high schoolyard hormonal cringe and teenage angst to answer the question what do we become if we hand over the self-limiting humanity external voice-activated controller in our heads to an intellect we believed had better processing power than a mere mortal could ever have?

Well this production takes us boldly on that quest in a nano-sized theatre serving-up BIG ideas.

Director James Edge has managed a cast who come in sparking-off with talent and motherboard sized vocals proving great entertainment is more than just a “Two-Player Game” as production elements of Liam Alexandru's and William Spencer’s suitably automotive properly level-up the audiences processing powers of what genius can be achieved within UK fringe-theatre, 2025.

The incredible cast truly got me short-circuiting in the best possible way!
The typically genre-unrepresented platonic friendship-love between Tom Dickerson's "Jeremy" & Jack Carr's "Michael" is depicted with heartfelt chemistry and biological beauty that is a joy to behold.

But if there's one performance that will implant in my brain for a long time it's Tommy Fouweather's scene-stealing Squip which had me begging to hand over all control and throw caution and consequence to the digital winds of change. Magnificent.

💊🎟️So get yourself a fresh, sexy & download a ticket NOW!

28/05/2025

✨ Shoutout to Dionysus, The Spirit of Queen Oscar Wilde and, hell, the living divine herself, Dame Judi Dench - cos why not?!? 🙏✨

Hey Fellow Leggers,

So, I had two tickets for Oscar at the Crown booked for Friday just gone and was all set to take a friend and very excited at the point I booked the tickets - no doubt at all about that.

But in the complete chaos of my overwhelming existence right now, I completely missed it until I thought to check theight my emails tonight—didn't put it in my calendar at the time apparently, completely my own fault and accepted as exactly just that.

But, yeah, it slipped right through my anxiety-ridden, trembling fingers didn't it.

So here I sit, kicking myself and absolutely gutted.

I know I don’t post often anymore, I've been doing my best to reclaim the joy and safety I for so long felt when it came to seeing a show and only going in hope for a joyous experience rather than any need there could possibly be to overthink it. Even if I'm having to be selective on what I see as a trip into London, that once felt as easy as simple as popping to the local shops - these days feels more like climbing the balcony staircase to the very back row of the Palace.

Exhausting even before I get to take a seat in that same hope...for joy.

And, as that approach has largely been working in bringing me some, it's an actual, gut-punching blow when it could have happened and I rob only myself of it.

This feels like one of those 'f**k, f**k, f**k', 'jab, jab, jabbing myself' moments.

Heres hoping for another chance to see it soon, a belief that I will find a way made manifest here in this post.

And the production tag for no other reason that they should use my experience, should they wish, to perhaps consider settiup auto reminders go bookers on approch to visit. It's pretty commonplace now, in my experience, and maybe I've become a little too dependent on it - I surely have. Again - that's on me. I'm only ever trying out in hope for more joy. In all things. The good it really seems to do me, tbh 🤷🏼🌟

Thanks, Leggers.

ILY, Legger Jude (previously, Simon)
🎭

06/01/2025

A Tribute to
James Lee Williams,
"The Vivienne"
1992 - 2005

Today, we honour the extraordinary life and legacy of James Lee Williams, known to the world as "The Vivienne," a drag icon whose talent, grace, and courage lit up every stage they graced. As the first-ever winner of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, The Vivienne's victory was not just a moment of personal triumph but an actual watershed moment for q***r visibility in Britain. Their supreme artistry set a benchmark for drag performance and cemented their place in the annals of LGBT+ history.

The Vivienne's star power extended far beyond the world of drag, shining just as brightly on the theatrical stage. Whether thrilling audiences as the Wicked Witch in Nikolai Foster’s magnificent production of The Wizard of Oz, scored by Andrew Lloyd Webber, or enchanting us on the current UK tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang under Thom Southerland's expert direction, The Vivienne's versatility as a performer was awe-inspiring. They brought a unique energy to their roles—one that captured hearts, challenged conventions, and reminded us of the magic of live theatre.

Our thoughts and deepest love are with The Vivienne's family, both given and chosen. In the words they themselves embodied, "we are all the same in love." This loss reverberates far beyond the q***r community, for The Vivienne's bravery in sharing their struggles alongside their triumphs inspired so many to live authentically. That kind of courage—standing tall as a q***r person in a world often hostile to our existence—is rare and precious.

To lose such a beacon of light is incomparable, but we are reminded of their words, their performances, and their undeniable legacy. Rest in the power of the spotlight you so fiercely earned during your time on this grand stage we call life, The Vivienne.

You lived, loved, and shone brighter than most. For that, we thank you. For that, we will always remember you. Rest in peace, rest in power.

Legger Simon

06/12/2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Stunningly Fabulous Triumph: Zanna, Don’t! at The Old Joint Stock Theatre SLAYS! 💅🏻

Last night, I was fortunate enough to experience Zanna, Don’t! at Birmingham’s Old Joint Stock Theatre, and I am still reeling from the sheer brilliance of it all. In an era where LGBT+ rights are being eroded in many corners of the world (including our own), this production stands in many ways as both a joyful celebration and a vital, necessary call to action.

The show is an absolute gem—a rollercoaster of hilarity and poignancy that had me crying for both reasons, often in the same moment. The cast is magnificent, bringing to life a story that is as playful and camp as it is deeply moving. Their comedic timing was razor-sharp, and their ability to convey raw emotion was equally stunning.

OH, AND THE LOVE! THE LOVE! THE LOVE!!!

What makes this production even more remarkable is that the lead role was recast just 36 hours before this evening's "opening night". To say that Jack Gittins rose to the occasion would be an understatement—they gave a performance so polished and heartfelt, it felt like they had been preparing for months. It’s a testament to the resilience and talent of the team behind this production.

With vibrant and inspired choreography, gorgeous vocals, and a story that’s equal parts satire and sincerity, Zanna, Don’t! delivers on every last level. It challenges societal norms while radiating hope and joy, reminding us of the power of love and community in the face of adversity.

LOVE!!!!!!

This production is running for a couple of weeks, and I cannot urge you enough to see it. It’s a rare theatrical experience that entertains, uplifts, and deeply moves you all at once. The Old Joint Stock Theatre has truly outdone itself - Zanna, Don’t! is fabulously UNMISSABLE!

I couldn't have loved it more - Legger Simon 🩷💜💙

26/10/2024

"Breakfast At Tailwaggers?"

A little tale of Tiger Augusten Dowling...

Pets At Home is his absolute, unrivaled FAVOURITE PLACE ON EARTH.

Being located just around the corner from where we live we're in there A LOT for toys and food etc.

The staff have got to know us and they LOVE him. He always gets a little treat and fuss from the team.

And, of course, he absolutely LOVES them right back.

Subsequently, each and every time we go on a walk he tries to drag me over to the store.

Even at times before they have even opened for the day.

Sometimes when it is closed it's couldn't possibly be enough for me to tell him that we can't visit...

Oh no - he just HAS to go see for himself to be fully satisfied.

So to Pets at Home I'll be dragged so he can push himself up the window and stare longingly at the empty aisles for a while until whenever he reaches the point where he's happy that I'm unquestionably telling him the truth.

Oh, and that I promise we'll come back when they're open, og course.

Andrew Hepburn in "Breakfast At Tiffany's"?

EAT YOUR HEART OUT!

WOOF!

07/10/2024

BALer flying solo this evening, but what an ABSOLUTE treat to be doing so.

Being A Legger facilitated so many wonderful things in my life, but the greatest legacy of that time is the friendships which were formed and, better still, have endured.

To be invited back to my BELOVED this evening to see one of the most inclusive musicals ever is so emotional for me.

To still be INCLUDED in this theatre family.

INCLUSION is EVERYTHING.

Thanks and The Grand Team.

You always were, are and forever will be my favourite x

02/10/2024

They say to never meet your heroes...

Ooops.

30/09/2024

Gavin Creel
1976 - 2024

"Where do I go
Follow the river
Where do I go
Follow the gulls

Where is the something
Where is the someone
That tells me why I live and die

Where do I go
Follow the children
Where do I go
Follow their smiles

Is there an answer
In their sweet faces
That tells me why I live and die

Follow the wind song
Follow the thunder
Follow the neon in young lovers' eyes

Down to the gutter
Up to the glitter
Into the city
Where the truth lies"

Where Do I Go? - Hair

The loss to the theatre of the beautiful diamond that was Gavin Creel is incomprehensible.

Tonight my thoughts are with all his family and friends.

And friends he had a LOT of. No-one ever had a bad word to say about Gavin. He was just... brilliant.

On the few occasions we met I would tell him, "You know in my head we're married, don't you?"

And he would reply, "Oh, absolutely in mine too!". And then he'd smile a smile that would make my heart actually race.

Just so...beautiful.

Well, I'm my head Gavin - we always will be.

Always.

Legger Simon

x

15/02/2024

I was lucky enough to be a guest this evening of my wonderful & welcoming local theatre, to see latest production "Boy On The Roof". A touching, devised piece on the challenges faced by young individuals with ADHD and the sheer power of patience, understanding and community.

The show featured instances of learning being tailored to an individual to outstanding effect and the positive results that come from a culture of celebrating success over focussing on perceived failure.

Something desperately needed within the failing state education system in the UK.

DESPERATELY FAILING.

Bought to life through the use of movement alone the talented cast demonstrated a fascinating showcase of physical talent. A really unique experience to behold.

If this out-of-the-box way of storytelling intrigues you then I'd highly recommend checking out Vamos Theatres body of work. A quick Google will show you all you need to know.

If they continue to shed light on topics this in need of illuminating then I'll definitely be fascinated on whatever they do next!

Legger Simon
x

P.S local theatres really are the beating heart of our communities. SUPPORT THEM, OK?! 🤪

The Break A Leggers

20/02/2026

16/11/2025

03/10/2025

11/08/2025

28/05/2025

06/01/2025

06/12/2024

26/10/2024

07/10/2024

02/10/2024

30/09/2024

15/02/2024

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