Kind of Love | Hope Mill Theatre

There is no better place for the new play Kind of Love, written and directed by Stewart Campbell to debut than Manchester. Long celebrated for its vibrant and visible LGBTQ+ community - from the heart of the city’s iconic Manchester Gay Village to its cultural influence on landmark television such as ‘Queer as Folk’ (1999) - Manchester has consistently positioned itself at the forefront of inclusivity and diversity. Against this backdrop, Kind of Love feels particularly at home, engaging with themes that resonate deeply within a city known for both its progressive spirit and its rich LGBTQ+ heritage.

Kind of Love tells the story of a group of four teenagers, and the difficulties and stereotypes of being gay in the ‘New Labour’ late 1990’s. On a lads trip to Ibiza, teenager Steffan (George Bellamy) is out with his “straight” best friend Typey (Tom Ryder). Steffan comes out to Typey, who says he is fine with “the gays”, but there appears to be undertones of internalised homophobia creeping through his demeanor.

Whilst on this lads holiday, Typey wanders off with another girl, meanwhile his devoted girlfriend Gemma (Rachel Burbridge) is at home waiting upon his arrival. This “lads holiday” changed the trajectory of the four friends, as is shown through multiple flashbacks throughout the production.

As we delve into Steffan’s character, we meet "straight” classmate Jay (Ben Goulding) who sleeps with Steffan, however when labelled as “gay”, is offended and shows feelings of embarrassment and internalised homophobia. In a time when being gay wasn’t as socially accepted as it is in 2026, Goulding delivers a somber and emotional performance truly encapsulating how it felt to be in the 'closet' and worried about public perceptions. Both couples in the production go through their own problems but as tragedy strikes on a night out, the group must decide how to move through their own grief and power on through their own issues. This production features many themes including toxic masculinity, judgment, nostalgia, and grief.

Kind of Love is jam-packed with nostalgia and nods to the audience through its use of 90s music pre-show and during scene transitions, and pop culture posters of 90s heartthrobs Take That and Leonardo DiCaprio on the walls. The show has a minimal yet effective set, with two beds on either side to represent the two relationships, and shelves towards the back which are of multifunctional use, later spinning around to become the urinals at the bar. As the Hope Mill Theatre is a small and intimate venue, this staging felt perfect for the space given, and allowed audiences to focus on the core storytelling and emotions, rather than being distracted by a flashy set.

The performance was well paced and packed with emotions where you were laughing one minute and on the verge of tears for the next. The bigger plot points arrive toward Act 2 where we see a big shift in Typey, from your typical jack-the-lad character who was inundated with toxic masculinity, to then navigating his grief through losing a loved one. Ryder’s performance displays such a truthful expression of grief and raw vulnerability, filled with anger, sadness, and questioning. The plot twists in Act 2 felt well planned and engaging, however, sometimes becoming slightly far-fetched.

Due to the minimal staging, there were moments of Act 2 that felt confusing as we were jumping back to the lads holiday, then back to the apartment, and back to the present day again - a simple nod of narration to the audience would have worked wonders.

What stood out most during this production was the cast, with which Burbridge makes her professional debut after recently graduating from Manchester School of Theatre. All four characters are incredibly believable, and have moments that you can relate to through their individual journeys. Their enthusiasm for this story shines on the stage, and they each bring a unique charm to their character.

Bellamy and Goulding anchor the emotional core of the story. As Jay and Steffan respectively, both performers deliver layered portrayals that make the relationship between the two characters feel authentic and intimate. Bellamy’s interpretation of Jay is defined by restraint and internal conflict. Jay struggles with his identity, and is someone deeply affected by societal expectations and personal fear surrounding his sexuality. Bellamy delivers raw moments of vulnerability on his own psychological journey of his sexuality, and has moments that even audiences now watching may be able to relate with. In contrast, Goulding embodies openness and emotional clarity. Steffan is comfortable with who he is, and Goulding plays him with warmth, confidence, and a quiet resilience.

Campbell has created a beautiful and thought-provoking, if at times slightly cheesy, piece of theatre, and I have hopes to see a future for this production. With a few minor tweaks and set additions, this production has great potential, and could be an excellent educational piece and great representation of LGBTQ+ writing.

Kind of Love runs at the Hope Mill Theatre until Sunday 1st March 2026, and tickets are available here.

★★★★☆ (4*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Shay Rowan