Directed by David Berthold, who also directed the original Australian production in Sydney in 2007, and designed by Brian Thomson (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert), the play is produced by Daniel Sparrow and Mike Walsh OBE.
The production will star Jane Turner, one of Australia's most celebrated comic actors, who has an international following as the writer and star of TV's "Kath and Kim" in which she plays Kath. It is the most successful syndicated show in Australian television history. She makes her West End debut here, with further casting to be announced.
"Holding the Man" (published by Penguin) is the best-selling memoir by Australian writer, actor and activist Conigrave. Reprinted 13 times around the world, the book won the United Nations Human Rights Award for Non-Fiction in 1995. The title is taken from Australian football and refers to a transgression that incurs a penalty.
The story revolves around the author's own experiences of growing up young and gay in Australia. Falling in love with the captain of the football team at an all-male Melbourne high school in the '70s was never going to be universally popular. According to press materials, the play tells the true life story about the relationship between Tim and John Caleo, and explores the highs and lows of their remarkable partnership. It is a celebration that speaks across generations, sexual preference and culture.
To book tickets, contact the box office on 0844 871 7632, or visit www.holdingtheman.com