Q: What is your full name and role on Cherry Jezebel?
A: Jonathan Larkin, writer

Q: How did you begin working with E&P? How did that experience help you get to where you are today?
A: I was a graduate of the Everyman's Young Writers' Programme and had my theatre debut with Paradise Bound in 2006. It gave me the confidence to believe in my writing and helped me to develop my voice as a writer. 

Q: Tell us a bit about the story of Cherry Jezebel?
A: A lifetime of abuse at the hands of family and bad boyfriends has left legendary drag queen Cherry Brandy scarred and terrified of being alone. So when she finds out her best friend Heidi Handjob has fallen in love and is finally embracing her identity as a trans woman, she is terrified that she’s no longer needed. Enter Pearl Reckless, a nonbinary queen who carries their own scars having suffered a tragic loss. They clash with Cherry as soon as they meet… but when Pearl is the victim of a homophobic attack, they realise they have more in common than they thought. As one queer family crumbles… could another one be starting to grow?

Cherry Jezebel is about the reality of growing up – and growing old – as a LGBTQ person in Liverpool. We scousers pride ourselves on being salt of the earth, warm and welcoming. So why do queer people still fear for their safety here in 2021?

Q: When did you start writing the script and how has the story changed since its first draft?
A: I started writing Cherry Jezebel about 4 years ago and it has evolved from a celebration of older queer voices to a piece about trauma, family and the lengths outsiders will go to to find a safe space in a violent straight white world. It started out as a collection of nostalgic stories rooted in the past but now has both its high heels planted in the Liverpool of today.

Q: The play had a rehearsed reading at the Everyman in summer 2021 – how has the theatre helped with the play over the years?
A: New Works Associate Frank Peschier and producer Victoria Rope have been a huge support because they are passionate about giving queer voices a platform at the Everyman. Frank in particular has been an invaluable source of inspiration and support during the redrafting process as I’ve shaped the voice of the play into a cohesive story that reflects the world we live in now.

Q: What are you looking forward to most about having Cherry Jezebel on stage at the Everyman in front of a live audience?
A: I’m looking forward to posing tough questions about how queer people are treated in Liverpool and beyond – but also showing how resilient and fabulous we are. I’m looking forward to creating a safe space where queer people of different generations can make mistakes, have debates and be authentic and realise that’s how we move forward and form bonds with each other. I’m hoping queer audiences will see a world reflected onstage that is usually glossed over, but I’m also hoping for a wider audience in general to be surprised by what they don’t know – but also what they do. We’re all human and I think we have more in common than we realise. Everyone is looking for family, for safety and for acceptance no matter how they identify, so I am looking forward to people who might not necessarily be LGBTQ seeing Cherry Jezebel and going “Oh yes I understand that, I’ve been in her/his/their shoes”.

Q: What can people expect from the show?
A: People can expect a no-holds-barred look at life beyond the lip gloss in a world that’s violent, uncompromising, bawdy and brash. They can also expect to laugh a lot and feel like they’ve been dragged along on a crazy night out with three fabulous queens who I hope they’ll end up loving.