David is gay, disabled and profoundly horny. He can’t eat, drink or shower by himself – or wank. Totally inexperienced, he embarks on a sexual and romantic odyssey, armed with a fierce brain, and dick pics that he has to get someone to take.
Can he keep it casual whilst also relying on round-the-clock care? And will he manage the thrill and uncertainty of random hook-ups after a lifetime of knockbacks?
Animal is a hilarious, challenging and heartbreaking play by Jon Bradfield, from a story by Bradfield and Josh Hepple. It won the inaugural Through the Mill Playwriting Prize, was shortlisted for the Papatango Prize, and was first performed at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester, and Park Theatre, London, in 2023.
‘What a joy to discover a play that is so bold, so outspoken and so thoroughly unpredictable… Angry and mischievous, droll and unforgettably poignant. Deserves to be seen on a bigger stage as soon as possible’
— The Times
‘Hard-hitting but wildly entertaining comedy. It’s marvellous to find something that deals with so many Big and Important themes in such a breezy, confident way’
— Time Out
‘A bold and brilliant new queer comedy. Absolutely hilarious. Will resonate with anyone who’s experienced the world of modern dating’
— Gay Times
‘An exceptional piece of theatre… uniquely brilliant in its sensitive foregrounding of a disabled protagonist… searingly insightful, soulfully intimate and utterly hilarious’
— The Upcoming
‘Hilarious and extremely entertaining… David is a complex and flawed character, and his sarcastic quips and rude sense of humour are always a hit… a gem’
— Reviews Hub
‘An excellent piece of socially engaged theatre that educates and entertains in equal measure… brutal honesty delivered with raw empathy… Animal is, simply put, a great play’
— Broadway World
‘Unmissable… a whirlwind of an adventure, combining both intense emotional heartache and literal laugh out loud moments… an exceptional piece of work that hits all the right spots’
— Everything Theatre
Through the Mill Playwriting Prize
