Heartstopper star Joe Locke ‘thrilled’ as he lands first West End role
Joe Locke is heading to the West End. (Getty)
Joe Locke is heading to the West End. (Getty)
Joe Locke has landed his first ever West End role, starring in Clarkston, a play about two men who form a deep bond while working at a warehouse in a rural American town.
The 21-year-old actor is currently filming Netflix’s Hearstopper film, which will round off the queer love story between teens Charlie Spring (Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor).
He will then star in Clarkston in the West End through the autumn. The exact run date and venue for the show is yet to be announced.
Locke will play Jake, a man with Huntington’s disease who is on a journey through America to “rediscover himself”.
Huntington’s disease is a degenerative neurological condition that can cause jerking movements and changes in behaviour and personality, per the NHS.
On his travels, Jake meets Chris, a man who comes from a troubled family background. Chris will be played by Ruaridh Mollica, the queer star of recent, queer sex work film, Sebastian. In 2024, Mollica was nominated for a British Independent Film Award for his role in the movie.
Queer The Way actress Sophie Melville will also star.
A full synopsis of Clarkston reads: “On a journey West to rediscover himself, Jake unexpectedly meets Chris – a kindred soul hiding in a night shift at a Costco in a rural American town.
“As their bond deepens, so does their sense of adventure. Maybe they could finally give life new meaning by chasing something more – like the intrepid explorers Lewis and Clark before them.”
It continues: “Clarkston is a modern frontier story that blazes a trail through friendship, acceptance, love and the hope of new discoveries.”
Clarkston is written by playwright Samuel D. Hunter, who is best known for writing the 2012, LGBTQ+ show, The Whale.
The Whale was adapted into a film of the same name in 2022, with Brendan Fraser playing lead character Charlie, a morbidly obese, reclusive gay English Teacher. He won the Best Actor gong for the role at the 2023 Oscars.
In a statement, Joe Locke said that he was “thrilled” to be starring in Clarkston.
“I’m thrilled to be making my West End debut in Clarkston. Samuel D. Hunter’s writing is so deeply human and honest that I immediately connected with the play when I read it. I can’t wait to bring this beautiful story to life and share it with audiences in London.”
He also told the BBC that he was looking forward to playing another “flawed” character.
“I really enjoy characters that have something to them, a bit of bite, a bit of a grey area,” he said.
“Everyone is flawed in some ways. And I’ve been lucky enough in my career so far to play a few flawed characters, and Jake is no different to that. And that’s the fun bit, the meaty bit, getting to know these characters – they’re good and they’re bad.”
While Clarkston marks Locke’s first West End role, the actor made his major stage debut on Broadway in 2024, playing Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Last autumn, Locke stepped into the Marvel world, playing gay teen superhero Wiccan in Agatha All Along.
Ticket information will be available via https://clarkstonplay.co.uk/.
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