Doctor Who’s Ncuti Gatwa to play Christopher Marlowe in ‘dark and sexy’ new West End show

Ncuti Gatwa and Edward Bluemel are to star in the premiere of a new West End play, Born with Teeth.

Doctor Who star Gatwa and Sex Education‘s Bluemel, will play playwrights and poets Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare respectively, in Liz Duffy Adams’s re-imagination of the relationship between the two.

A synopsis for the play reads: “Winter 1591. It is a dangerous time for artists. The country is full of conspiracy and paranoia. In the backroom of a pub, writing sensations Kit Marlowe and Will Shakespeare are forced together in a creative union.

“Alone, with the table as their stage and battlefield, they sharpen their pens, and let their genius fly. Across three secret meetings, the rivals duel and flirt like their lives depend on it. And with spies everywhere, betrayal is so tempting.”

It’s is clear that this is an imagined idea of the pair’s relationship, and a certain sexual charge is suggested. There has always been speculation that both were queer.

Gatwa spoke of his excitement at jumping into Adams’ “exceptional smart, dark, sexy, sharp and funny [play]”, adding: “There’s a lot to get one’s teeth into.”

The actor, who was recently seen on stage in The Importance of Being Earnest, went on to say: “This is like no version of Shakespeare and Marlowe that I’ve seen before, and I can’t wait for audiences to join us for the ride.”

Meanwhile, Bluemel, who audiences might remember as Hugo in Killing Eve, said: “To be stepping into the shoes of a young William Shakespeare is a huge thrill. There’s a real freshness and vitality to Liz’s writing that speaks directly to our world.”

Playful Productions, the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and Elizabeth Williams, who described it as “brilliant in conception and ferociously sexy”, are producing the play.

Daniel Evans, the RSC’s co-artistic director, will be making his directorial debut.

How to get Born with Teeth tickets

Born With Teeth is being staged in the West End at Wyndham’s Theatre, London, from 13 August until 1 November.

Tickets are due to go on sale on Wednesday (16 April) with priority booking from today (11 April). TikTok is sponsoring 2,000 tickets at £10 for 16 to 25 year olds. For more information click here. 

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