Two strangers. Twenty telephone calls. And a connection that goes well beyond a little late-night fun. Robert Chesley’s provocative gay play Jerker returns to the London stage this autumn, 40 years after its San Francisco premiere.
Some relationships start with a drink. Others with a swipe. For JR and Bert, it all begins with a telephone call and a rather different kind of conversation.
Arriving at Waterloo East Theatre for a strictly limited run from 26 September to 18 October, Jerker follows two men who connect through a series of anonymous, sexually charged phone calls. Neither can see the other, but as the conversations continue, their fantasies gradually give way to something far more revealing.
What begins as a bit of dirty talk develops into an exploration of desire, loneliness and the unexpected intimacy that can emerge when two people let their guards down.
And while the premise might sound like an invitation to spend 80 minutes listening to men getting themselves off, there’s considerably more going on beneath the surface.
Written in 1986 against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis in San Francisco, Robert Chesley’s play explores queer connection at a time when sex, fear and isolation had become inextricably linked. Forty years on, its themes of vulnerability, desire and the need to be heard remain strikingly relevant.
The new production stars Paul Dennison as JR and James Lee as Bert. Dennison, who was crowned Mr Gay England in 2021 and Mr Gay Europe in 2022, is joined by Lee, who makes his professional stage debut in the production.
Directed by Henry Adams, with Alice Camarota serving as assistant director and intimacy director, the revival comes from producer Adam Roebuck, whose previous credits include F**king Men, Afterglow and Happy Ending.
Playful, explicit and unexpectedly tender, Jerker looks set to deliver an evening of theatre that isn’t afraid to get intimate while asking some rather bigger questions about what it means to connect with another person.
And yes, there’s nudity. Consider yourself informed.
Event details
Dates: 26 September – 18 October 2026
Venue: Waterloo East Theatre, Brad Street, London SE1 8TN
Nearest station: Waterloo
Performances: Tuesday–Friday, 7.30pm; Saturday, 4pm and 7.30pm; Sunday, 2pm and 5pm.
Running time: Approximately 80 minutes, no interval.
Tickets: From £20 with promo code ‘GLL20’
Age guidance: 18+. Contains strong language, sexual descriptions and nudity.
Booking: waterlooeast.co.uk/jerkerÂ
