Joe Locke, best known for his breakout role in Netflix’s Heartstopper, is taking another major theatrical leap as he makes his West End debut in Clarkston, a poignant and emotionally rich play by Samuel D. Hunter.
After his acclaimed Broadway debut in Sweeney Todd last year, Locke will star in the U.K. premiere of Clarkston, a play that first premiered in Dallas in 2015 and explores themes of friendship, identity, and disconnection in small-town America.
The story follows two twenty-something men—Jake and Chris—from opposite sides of the U.S. who meet while working at a Costco in Washington state, Deadline writes.
Locke plays Jake, a young gay man from Connecticut who has moved west after being diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, seeking both clarity and connection in a new environment.
The play, written by the same playwright behind The Whale, delves into themes of vulnerability, mortality, and the human need for intimacy, even in unlikely places.
Locke expressed deep excitement about the role, telling Playbill that Hunter’s writing felt “deeply human and honest,” and that he couldn’t wait to share the story with audiences in London.
In an interview with BBC News, Locke said the role reflected his interest in portraying “flawed characters who have a bit of bite,” adding that playing Jake allowed him to explore both tenderness and complexity on stage.
He’ll be joined by co-stars Ruairidh Mollica and Sophie Melville, though the exact venue and dates for the London run have yet to be announced.
Clarkston is being directed by Jack Serio, adding to the anticipation around the production as Serio’s star continues to rise in the theater world.
Samuel D. Hunter, who penned the story, is also the playwright behind The Whale, which was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Brendan Fraser.
Hunter described bringing Clarkston to London as a dream come true, noting that the play’s themes of love, friendship, and uncertainty resonate globally, especially in today’s world.
“It’s a story about connection in the face of an unknown future,” he said, describing the play as both rooted in the American West and universally human in its emotional depth.
Locke’s role as Jake is particularly poignant, as the character’s diagnosis and emotional struggle are met with empathy and openness by Chris, a fellow employee dealing with his own troubled family past.
The result is a beautifully told story about two young men who find solace and meaning in each other, even amid hardship.
“Everyone is flawed in some ways,” Locke said. “And that’s the fun bit, the meaty bit—getting to know these characters. They’re good and they’re bad.”
Locke’s rise in theater continues to gain momentum, having also joined the Tony-nominated revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street on Broadway last year, playing Tobias Ragg.
The move to the West End is particularly meaningful for Locke, who grew up on the Isle of Man and says that his yearly birthday tradition was a trip to London with his mum to see musicals.
“It’s very full circle to bring my mum to my press night for my West End debut,” he told the BBC. “It’s going to be very exciting.”
Locke is also nearing the end of filming for the upcoming Heartstopper movie, which he called “a really nice closing chapter” to the story that first brought him into the global spotlight.
(Featured image: Joe with Heartstopper co-star Tobie Donovan at the Glastonbury festival recently @joelocke03)