A rollicking queer Western like nothing you’ve seen before.
Grab your stetson and spurs and join us in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Cowbois by Charlie Josephine. ‘A joyous queer cowboy romp’ (West End Best Friend) co-directed by Charlie Josephine and Sean Holmes.
Nominated for two WhatOnStage Awards for Best New Play and Best Costume Design.
In a sleepy town in the Wild West, the women drift through their days like tumbleweed. Their husbands, swept up in the goldrush, have been missing for almost a year and show no sign of returning. In fact, the town is almost cut off from outsiders entirely, with only one drunken sheriff for protection.
“A whole new frontier” – Guardian
That is until handsome bandit Jack Cannon swaggers up to the town’s saloon, looking for a place to hide from the bounty hunters on his tail.
Armed with a wink, and with a gun by their side for good measure, Jack’s explosive arrival inspires a gender revolution, and starts a fire under the petticoat of every one of the town’s repressed inhabitants.
“Swagger, humor, and plenty of good old-fashioned gun-slinging action” – WhatsOnStage
The work of the RSC is supported by the Culture Recovery Fund
Miranda Curtis CMG – Lead Production Supporter of Cowbois
New Work at the RSC is generously supported by Hawthornden Foundation and The Drue and H.J. Heinz II Charitable Trust
Post-show Talk 6 Feb
A post-show in conversation with Charlie Josephine and Travis Alabanza. This event is free with a ticket to that evening’s performance.
‘A fantastical journey of gender discovery’
Spy in the Stalls
'A sweltering blast of joy in a chilly, uncertain January'
Independent
'Dazzling'
Time Out
‘A riot’
Arts Desk
‘An audacious hit’
City AM
‘A delight’
Evening Standard
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs
Mon – Sat: 7:30pm (except 17 Jan, 7pm)
Thu & Sat matinees: 2:30pm
Running time: 2 hrs 40 mins (including a 20 mins interval)
For more information about themes and contents of this play, please see our content advisory page.
Cowbois explores themes of gender expression. More about the transgender community, the word ‘queer’ and using pronouns.
Read full details about your visit to the Royal Court
Group Tickets
A discount is applied when 8 tickets or more are added to your basket. It reduces each ticket by £5 and is valid on tickets booked in bands C or D. For educational group or larger group bookings please contact our Box Office.
Access Performances
Audio Described Sat 27 Jan, 2.30pm
Touch Tour Sat 27 Jan, 12.30pm
Captioned Tue 30 Jan, 7.30pm
Chilled Performance Sat 3 Feb, 2.30pm
