A Public Display of Affection at Gilded Balloon Patter House – The Snug

A Public Display of Affection is a solo show written and performed by Jonathan Wilson, directed by Mark McGrinder, and produced by Frodo Allan. Set against the backdrop of 1970s and 1980s Toronto, the show begins as a deceptively formal queer elder talk that unravels into something far more intimate, dangerous, and alive. Through vivid vignettes, Wilson charts his coming-of-age in a time when desire, identity, and even holding hands could feel like an act of defiance. The production blends razor-sharp humour with moments of devastating honesty, transforming personal memory into collective experience.