”Pose” star Dyllón Burnside on ”Black Superhero”: ‘I get to fly in the show and that never gets old!’

It’s no secret that superheroes are a powerful force in pop culture, but the genre is currently getting an interesting twist at the Royal Court Theatre, where Olivier-nominated actor Danny Lee Wynter’s (The Normal Heart) debut play Black Superhero officially opens this evening.

Shining the spotlight on the lives of a group of friends in the acting profession – one of whom having found fame in a comic book film franchise – the play examines both the highs and lows of maintaining relationships and privacy, as well as the behind-the-scenes tribulations of the industry itself.

Making his London stage debut as King, as well as the eponymous character of the piece, is Broadway alum Dyllón Burnside (Thoughts of a Colored Man, Holler If Ya Hear Me). With credits ranging from Peter Pan Live! to Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, he is perhaps best known for his role as Ricky on the hit series Pose.

We reached out to London’s resident superhero to get the lowdown on his latest stage venture.

What were you most looking forward to about crossing the pond for your London stage debut and spending some time in the city?

As long as I’ve been acting, I’ve wanted to play on a London stage. There’s just something about theatre in London that is incredibly special. It feels like theatre is really a part of the culture here and people take it seriously. I wanted to be a part of that energy and challenge myself with a new way of working. I was also thrilled to get to work at the Royal Court of all places and collaborate with such fantastic artists.

What was your initial reaction to Danny Lee Wynter’s script and the character of King?

My initial thought was that the piece is incredibly confronting and I love working on projects that provoke and expand thought. I had a lot of empathy for King and saw his struggle as something incredibly human and resonant for a lot of people so I was eager to get in his skin and breathe life into him.

For those wondering about the title, how is the superhero element utilised in the play?

The title alludes to the fact that King is, in fact a Black Superhero, but it also describes, in my opinion the quest for salvation and refuge that all of the characters are seeking. We play with the Superhero theme a bit in the piece and although it’s not on its face a superhero story the audience will get to experience some incredible superhero “magic”. I get to fly in the show and that never gets old!

What do you believe Black Superhero‘s impact on perceptions of queer culture, race and relationships might be?

I don’t know what the impact will be. I only hope it provokes some conversations. Identity politics have become a part of every facet of our lives and in some ways this has brought about equity. In other instances, it has created more marginalization. I hope the piece advances a conversation around our collective humanity outside of any identifiers or labels.

With Black Superhero, the upcoming West End transfer of For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy (which was also staged at the Royal Court and features Black queer representation) and the London premiere of the Tony-winning musical A Strange Loop at the Barbican this summer, do you feel the level of Black queer representation in mainstream theatre is improving sufficiently or do you feel there is still a long way to go?

I think being able to name three shows that represent Black and queer folks may signal progress but does that mean that there is not room for more? Pointing it out as special in someways signals that it’s an anomaly and not necessarily the norm.

In Black Superhero, the character of David auditions for the role of Horatio in Hamlet and I recall you saying you aspired to play the Dane yourself. Is this still a dream role for you and are there any other classic roles (in a play or a musical) you would love a crack at?

I love new work and am typically attracted to that, but would absolutely love the opportunity to play Hamlet.

With a number of high-profile television shows being adapted for the stage (e.g. Stranger Things, Game of Thrones), do you think an adaptation of Pose would work well in the theatre, either as a play or a musical? How would you envision it yourself?

Ahhh that’s an interesting question. I don’t know if I’d want to see that though. I think what we made with Pose was incredibly special in the serial format and I don’t know if I’d want to touch it. My hope is that it will continue to age well and touch and inspire audiences for years to come.

Black Superhero runs until 29 April at the Royal Court Theatre, with tickets on sale below.