In response to the homophobic attack outside Clapham’s Two Brewers in August, Awkward Productions are hosting ‘QUEER LOVE WINS’ at Two Brewers on Sunday 17th September – a spectacular evening of queer joy, solidarity, music and comedy in aid of LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall and their important work tackling queerphobia.
QUEER LOVE WINS is created by Awkward Productions (Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story) and hosted by its two founders; Linus Karp and Joseph Martin. The evening will also see performances from Rob Madge (My Son’s A Queer, But What Can You Do?), Sooz Kempner (Doctor Who), Sam Carlyle (Notes from the Noughties), Stephanie Marion (Mr and Mrs Love) and drag icon Yshee Black, with a few surprises along the way.
On Sunday 13th August, two men were stabbed outside the venue on Clapham High Street. The incident happened at approximately 22:15hrs – the victims were approached by a man who attacked them with a knife before running away. Both men were taken to hospital for treatment and were later discharged. An investigation by the Metropolitan Police is ongoing.
Linus Karp (he/him) and Joseph Martin (he/they) said “We perform at Two Brewers regularly and it’s a place full of queer joy where we are allowed to feel safe and be our authentic queer selves. The homophobic attack at the venue shook us, and the rise of anti-queer hate crimes and rhetoric is truly terrifying – we want to respond to that by being defiant, united and spreading love – showing that no matter what, QUEER LOVE WINS.”
Catia Ciarico (she/her), Venue Producer and Programmer for the Two Brewers said “The Two Brewers has been at the heart of the LGBTQ community for decades. A fun, safe space for its customers and supporters. I think its example of tolerance, love, acceptance and equality is a lesson to all who have hate in their hearts. We welcome this chance to show support and solidarity with Stonewall in their mission in fighting prejudice and intolerance.”
Robbie de Santos, Director of External Affairs at Stonewall (he/him) said: “Recent events, such as the tragic attack outside the Two Brewers in Clapham, serve as a stark reminder that such incidents are not isolated, but they are a symptom of a broader political, cultural, and media landscape that fosters an environment where hate thrives.
The government’s own statistics show that hate crime incidents have more than doubled in England and Wales in the last few years, yet we’re concerned about complacency – the Government has still not responded to the Law Commission’s recommendations on hate crime laws, almost two years since they were published.
We are grateful for the support of Awkward Productions and the Two Brewers. Our work at Stonewall is far from over and we won’t rest until every LGBTQ+ individual can live free from fear, prejudice, and discrimination and able to achieve our true potential.”
The evening starts at 19:00 at the Two Brewers, Clapham on Friday 15th September. Tickets are available now at https://linktr.ee/awkwardprods.
