A powerful, provocative, outrageous and very funny, new Australian play will make its full season premiere just in time for summer and Sydney Mardi gras. GOD’S COWBOY will have its world premiere at El Rocco in Darlinghurst from 6 Feb.
God’s Cowboy is a production of Lambert House Enterprises and Les Solomon who, in 2025, is celebrating 30 years as one of Sydney’s iconic ‘theatre personalities’. Talent agent, producer, director and now writer, the septuagenarian powerhouse has produced dozens of successful stage productions, including more than 20 that – like this one - have featured not only LGBTQIA+ themes, but a complete rainbow of brilliant actors. Some have been up and coming like James Wright, Samson Alston and Ryan Panizza. Others are big 'names' like David Campbell, Tim Draxl, Hayden Tee, Carmen Duncan, Campion Decent and more!
And of course Les was the force (of nature!) driving the first Sydney theatre season to open after lockdown - which ran (fully distanced, sanitised and scanned) for 42 performances at El Rocco.
The newest play has been in development for 2 years. Co-written and workshopped by Les and ten actors, God’s Cowboy has been in the creative process over two years. It has had public workshops and three ‘development’ performances (in April 2024) and is now honed and ready to premiere during the Mardi Gras season February to early March 2025.
“This is a time of great excitement for us and for the play,” says Les. “A lot of work many actors have contributed to the creation of God’s Cowboy. The reaction to the trial performances was sensational. We are now ready for the next step of its journey, to showcase the play throughout Mardi Gras with a marvellous new cast. And El Rocco allows the intimacy and warmth of the play to wrap itself around an audience.”
The venue has proved a great venue for several Lambert House productions over the years, from cabarets with David Campbell and Tim Draxl, to the extended season of The Credeaux Canvas which ran for 11 weeks at the venue in 2020 and Fag Stag (Mardi Gras 2022).
God’s Cowboy focuses on two main characters (a twin brother and sister) who partially narrate the story in flashback, describing their season in a play and the backstage love story that formed during that time with their co-star, a man who performs publicly as a sort of cowboy. He is a man of many secrets and bears pain beneath his showy persona.
“It’s a love story between the boy Peter and the ‘cowboy’ and covers many relevant themes beyond the immediate coming-of-age story. There are myriad surprises and secrets revealed. It is bravely honest, at times provocative and outrageous as well as being very, very funny,” adds Solomon. “So many young people have their voice in this story. It’s a powder-keg of deep human emotion.”
GOD’S COWBOY will open on Feb 6th and plays selected nights through to March 9th.
It stars Tom Davis (Doody in Grease, The Book of Mormon, Hoges, Last King of the Cross) and introduces two exciting new actors as the twins: Charlie Dakin (a recent graduate from the Actors Centre) and well-known choreographer Riley Harrington-Hopkins making her acting debut. Joining them is Juliano Battaglia (Walking Shadows, The Lonely Road).
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