Englishman in New York

Opening Night Festivities kick off at 6:00PM, link at the bottom of the post will lead you to all the info.

Tampa Theater
711 Franklin Street, downtown Tampa
map & directions

Quentin Crisp, witty English writer and Britain’s first ‘out’ man, rose to iconic stardom after the publication of his 1968 memoir, The Naked Civil Servant.

An unflinching account of queer sexuality, the book was a celebration of alternative lifestyles and led to fame and fortune for Crisp. Made into an award-winning 1975 film starring John Hurt, ‘Naked’ chronicled Crisp’s transformation from quiet English boy to outspoken author and raconteur.

Now more than 30 years later, An Englishman in New York reprises Hurt’s role as Crisp, giving a heartfelt and deeply embodied performance of a gay man struggling to come to terms with a changing world – a post-Stonewall world of AIDS, Village clones and the struggles of a community learning how to assert its rights. Feted by celebrities, adored by even mainstream audiences, Crisp is a fixture on the champagne circuit, but soon finds himself on the outs with the gay community af- ter asserting that AIDS ‘is a fad.’

True to form, Crisp refuses to recant, even as friends begin to die around him. His circle of friends dwindles, but he soon finds himself the unlikely muse of Penny Arcade (deliciously played by Sex and the City’s Cynthia Nixon), a provocative performance artist. At 90, he embarks on his last stint in the theater, bringing his insight and wit to new audiences.

This delightfully engaging film examines the unexpected third act of Crisp’s life – delving into his close personal friendships and the vulnerability hiding beneath the bravado.

To purchase tickets, click here, for Tampa International Gay & Lesbian web site