See five seldom-staged 21st century queer theatre classics at the National Theatre's series of rehearsed readings this July. As you might expect, the line-up features some vintage gay plays: Peter Gill directs his own 1999 'Certain Young Men', a look at gay life on the eve of the millennium. Martin Sherman's 1979 'Bent', a story of gay men suffering in Nazi Germany, is directed by Stephen Daldry. And Mae West's 1927 'The Drag' is a gay comedy about a respectable married man who decides to hold a drag ball - it'll be directed by Polly Stenham.
Tarell Alvin McCraney's 2008 'Wig Out' brings us right up to date, with a drama set in New York's drag ball scene. And Sarah Daniels' 1986 'Neaptide' is the only play on the line-up that features a queer woman - directed by Sarah Frankcom, it's the story of a lesbian struggling to hold onto her family after coming out, set against a backdrop of ancient Greek mythology.