A new site-specific production of Boy George’s 2002 musical Taboo will be staged later this year at the recently opened Brixton Club House.
Taboo centres on Billy, an aspiring photographer, who launches himself onto London’s vibrant club scene during the “decadent” 80s. He encounters many of the era’s most notorious personalities – including Marilyn, Steve Strange, Leigh Bowery, Philip Sallon and George himself.
While Taboo includes snippets of some Culture Club classics, George also penned an original score with songs including “Ode to Attention Seekers”, “Stranger in this World”, “Love Is a Question Mark”, “Guttersnipe”, “Touched by the Hand of Cool”, “Out of Fashion” and “Pie in the Sky”.
The musical premiered on 29 January 2002 (previews from 11 January) at The Venue, a theatre space specially created in the crypt of a church off Leicester Square in London. The West End production closed on 26 April 2003 after an oft-extended run of 15 months, before George revived his performance for the Tony-nominated 2004 Broadway transfer.
Its run at Brixton Club House is produced by Danielle Tarento and Bronia Buchanan and marks the new venue’s first foray into theatre.