Interview: Second Dates and Second Chances: The Evolution of Girl Kisser

How audience stories and “playing with physicality” shaped the return of this Camden Fringe breakout.

In August 2025, Girl Kisser arrived at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre for Camden Fringe, offering what we described at the time as a “lovely piece of theatre” that “doesn’t sugar coat real life.” With its “fresh and exciting” and “artful choreography”, the show perfectly captured the interconnected lives of six housemates navigating the complexities of young queer love.

Now, the “Girl Kissers” are returning to familiar turf for a new run in 2026. But this isn’t just a simple restaging; it’s an evolution. Described as “rewritten and reinvented,” this version promises to be even deeper and more musically driven than the original Fringe debut.

We caught up with the creative team (writer/ performer Emily Ambrose, Movement director/ performer Charlotte Clements and director Hollie Milne) to discuss how the show has developed since its first outing, the challenges of managing a six-strong ensemble in an intimate space, and why this “gig-theatre” celebration of queer joy is returning even stronger.

Looking back at your Camden Fringe run, what was the most surprising thing you learned about the show once it finally met an audience?

Emily: How funny it is! People found the story relatable and that gave them a giggle. Queer joy is so important to so many people.

Charlotte: I didn’t until the run feel just how emotionally with you audiences are – which is beautiful! The Lion and Unicorn Theatre is a space big enough for good sized audiences but intimate enough that you get to really engage with and see every audience member as they feel the story with you. It was awesome!

Everything Theatre’s review of your first run praised the “superb ensemble performances.” How has the chemistry or the dynamic between the six “Girl Kissers” evolved, especially with new cast members.

Emily: Starting this new version of the play, we actually slimmed down the ensemble to five, in order to add an element that will become clear in the play!

The dynamic has only grown, as we’ve all worked together for over a year now! Each cast member knows their character best and is able to add such life to what’s on the paper. Amelia has slotted into the group so perfectly and is adding a really unique perspective to the character of Emery, a no-nonsense journalist with relationship troubles. And the nature of intense rehearsals means the cooped up dynamic in the flat in Girl Kisser is very real!

You’ve described this upcoming run as a “second date” that has been “rewritten and reinvented.” What was the driving force behind wanting to pick the script back up and refine it?

Emily: I don’t think writers are ever 100% content with their work. Having seen the story brought to life last summer, it gave me so many ideas that I knew I needed to incorporate into a future re-write. The driving force really was the feedback of the audience and the cast, who kept sharing their stories, thus I had more to write about!

The gig-theatre element is such a signature of the show. Can we expect more of this with the changes coming?

Emily: That was another reason for the rewrite. Gig-theatre really does offer something different for an audience who may not usually go to the theatre. There’s new songs and new soundtracks by Hollie Milne, all capturing the intimate feelings of the piece.

Since Camden Fringe, you’ve mentioned that the desires and stories shared by last summer’s audience helped shape this reinvention. How did that community feedback actually make its way into the new script?

Emily: We were fortunate to have a very generous audience in August, who stayed in the bar after the show and shared their thoughts and personal experiences. We’ve since tweaked dialogue and placed characters in new scenarios to be truthful to our community and the story that they feel represents them best. We also honed in on specific themes that were frequently brought up, such as being friends with exes and queer clubbing culture.

Girl Kisser explores the joy of queer community. Why do you feel it’s important to bring this specific story back to London right now, in 2026?

Emily: Because joy is a universal human experience, and something everyone needs right now. Relationships are a universal human experience too. There’s so much ‘othering’ happening at the minute, in London, but also in all cultures and classes and sexualities. We want to celebrate our queerness in a culture that doesn’t necessarily want us to, and prove that our relationships are no different from heterosexual ones. Sometimes a little reminder is needed that the beauty of the human experience is in our uniqueness.

Hollie: I’ve always loved Pub Theatre, especially black box spaces. Back home in Liverpool, The Hope Street Theatre has that same intimacy where very little is needed to transform the space. I feel like the actors presence does most of the work. That closeness creates a conversational energy with the audience, allowing the humour and rawness of the piece to land in a very immediate and authentic way

You’re returning to The Lion and Unicorn, a venue that clearly supported the show’s early life. How does the intimacy of that specific space change the way the audience experiences the “messy, raw, and funny” moments of the play?

Hollie: I think it’s important to bring the show back right now because prior to this show I realised how sexualised queer love is in the media, and still is. This show is the perfect depiction of what it is, and what it can be like. And also seeing the audiences reactions to the show, as much as it is really gay. It is a show for everyone, whether you’re queer or not you will find a piece of you in these characters and I think that’s why I love it and we just needed to bring it back.

For those who saw the show at Camden Fringe, what is the one thing – without spoilers! – that will feel most “new” or “different” about this 2026 production?

Charlotte: In this run it feels like new and different friendships/ relationships have formed between all the characters which I think new and returning audiences will enjoy seeing play out. There’s also more playing around with physicality in this iteration!

Thanks to Emily, Charlotte and Hollie for giving up their time to chat with us. Girl Kisser will play at Lion and Unicorn Theatre from Tuesday 7 to Saturday 11 April.