Firebird, the “Cold War-era Brokeback Mountain with a dash of Top Gun” based on a real-life story, comes to the stage after its acclaimed 2021 film version. It premieres at London’s King’s Head Theatre in the new year.
“The gay military epic that enraged Putin’s Russia” – The Times
Drawing on a true-life Cold War story, Firebird follows a handsome, soulful young soldier who embarks on a clandestine affair with a charismatic fighter pilot on an Air Force Base in Soviet-occupied Estonia at the height of 1970s Communist rule.
The story comes to the stage for the first time after an acclaimed multi award-winning 2021 film version starring Tom Prior that premiered at BFI Flare: London’s LGBTQI+ Film Festival, and the publication of the English translation of the original memoir.
This world premiere stage adaptation is written by Richard Hough, based on the memoir by Sergey Fetisov and the screenplay by Peeter Rebane and Tom Prior. It’s directed by Owen Lewis and presented by Olivier Award-winning producer James Seabright.
Following the 90-minute performance at 6pm on Sunday 19 January 2025, I’ll talk to Firebird cast and creatives about the themes in the play and the transition from screen to stage. Any questions? Join us!
“A tragic, intimate and unforgettable love story” – The Upcoming
“A Cold War-era Brokeback Mountain with a dash of Top Gun” – LA Times
“This sweeping yet intimate story, so rich and romantic, needs now more than ever to be widely known” – Stephen Fry