Review: ‘Prince Faggot’ Challenges Conventions with Bold and Provocative Theater

Set in 2032, the story follows a young man named Tips who brings his boyfriend, Dev, home from college to meet his parents. Although cautious, his parents are neither shocked nor surprised, as they have long known about his sexual orientation.

Within Jordan Tannahill’s play, ‘Prince Faggot,’ the characters accept Tips’s homosexuality as a given. Early on, the audience is shown a famous childhood photo of Tips at age four, portraying an innocent and somewhat effeminate image in the eyes of those around him.

Tips is a fictional representation of Prince George of Wales, the eldest son of Prince William and Princess Catherine. Since the real Prince George is currently eleven years old, the play uses the nickname “Tips” for the character. The play confronts the controversial subject of a young boy’s sexuality and its intersection with royalty, employing provocative language and themes to challenge audiences.

Despite its provocative title and themes, the production—now running at Playwrights Horizons in collaboration with Soho Rep—is undeniably compelling. It is confrontational, explicit to the point of being graphic, chaotic, and at times unrestrained, especially in scenes involving bondage. The narrative is heavily driven by emotional grievances: Tips often comes across as a complainer, while Dev is portrayed as deeply theoretical. The play explores the complexities of love, portraying it as both all-consuming and insufficient.

In essence, while the play’s premises may be speculative and contentious, its portrayal of human emotion and relationships remains authentic.

Tannahill addresses the challenges of telling this story upfront. The play opens with a prologue featuring six talented actors in multiple roles debating the legitimacy of the narrative. One actor argues that since society defaults to viewing all children as heterosexual, exploring a queer perspective offers a form of redress. Another warns that depicting a real child as queer risks accusations of inappropriate intent. A third counters with dark humor, suggesting society’s efforts at “grooming” have been ineffective, citing the continued prevalence of heterosexuality.