Lidless Theatre returns to the King’s Head Theatre this autumn with a major revival of Philip Ridley’s The Pitchfork Disney, directed by Max Harrison. Known for its dark, surreal atmosphere and psychological intensity, the play is a cornerstone of the In-Yer-Face theatre movement.
Max Harrison, Co-Artistic Director of Lidless Theatre, brings a wealth of experience to this production, having previously directed acclaimed revivals of Ridley’s Leaves of Glass and Tender Napalm. This marks the company’s fourth collaboration with the playwright.
The Pitchfork Disney runs from 27 August to 4 October 2025 at King’s Head Theatre. Tickets are available now.
You’re starring in The Pitchfork Disney at King’s Head Theatre – what can you tell us about the show?
It’s a play about fear, and how terrifying the outside world can be. The main characters, two shut-ins, are petrified of the outside world. We need only think of many headlines from the current news cycle to understand this fear of something terrible bursting through our front door.
But it’s also a play that’s primarily concerned with the emotional experience of the audience. Like a good ghost train, you buckle in and will be shocked, surprised, and scared. It has humour, heartbreak, and is pretty haunting. It’s a hell of a ride.
The Pitchfork Disney is often credited with launching the In-Yer-Face theatre movement. What do you think makes this play so enduringly powerful?
It definitely did launch something; absolutely nothing like this came before 1991, and it remains singular and iconic in its lasting effect on British theatre.
And why? It keys into our primal experience of the world – fear, sexuality, family tensions, desire, religion. It speaks on an incredibly deep level, whether we know it or not – the fear of the unknown, the attraction to the dangerous, the destruction of naivety, the power of dreams.
The play pushes buttons we’re not even aware of… even after it’s spat us out at the curtain call.
This is your fourth collaboration with Philip Ridley. What draws you back to Ridley’s work time and again?
Phil writes from such a deep and instinctive place, and so his work has a nearly unrivalled depth and richness to it. He feels for a pulse way below the skin and writes from the bottom of the soul.
It’s at the same time brutal and tender, shocking and sweet. Phil has an amazing knack for writing plays that are both hilarious and devastating. His work takes audiences on a rollercoaster ride, managing to swing between extremes in one scene.
His work is as lyrical as Williams and as complex as Chekhov. We also have a wonderful working relationship with Phil, and it’s so rare to be able to really dive into a writer’s work with the writer. I love the collaboration we have – it’s a total labour of love.
The play explores themes of fear, isolation, and fantasy. How have you approached bringing these intense emotions to life on stage?
It’s hard to say yet, as we are heading into rehearsals this week! But we have assembled an incredible team of creatives and a cast of actors who are properly brilliant.
Phil has written so much into the script for us – it’s really about us being open and sensitive to it, and trusting the text to take us there.
King’s Head Theatre has a rich history and a newly expanded space. What has it been like working in this venue?
It’s a pleasure to return to the venue, now in its new form and in a bigger space. We previously produced Tender Napalm in the pub, which was such a brilliant experience.
We feel like the company has grown in the same way that the theatre has, so it feels timely to be coming back to the new and purpose-built theatre building.
Plus, the thrust is perfect for the play. Being able to see other audience members react to the events in the play will add a whole other dimension to it. It’s almost a show within a show.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see The Pitchfork Disney?
If you enjoy theatre that feels like a rollercoaster, that gets past politics into meaty, human experience, that is thrilling and funny – or if you love a good carnival or horror film – this is the play for you.
