Joe Locke to make West End debut in ‘Clarkston’ after wrapping ‘Heartstopper’ film

Joe Locke will star in the UK premiere of ‘Clarkston’ on the West End after finishing the ‘Heartstopper’ film.

Joe Locke will make his West End debut later this year in Clarkston, following the completion of filming on Netflix’s Heartstopper movie. The play, written by Samuel D. Hunter, explores the lives of two young men who meet while working at a Costco in small-town Washington. 

Locke expressed his enthusiasm for the role, describing Hunter’s writing as “deeply human and honest” and sharing his excitement to bring the story to London audiences.

The UK premiere of Clarkston will be directed by Jack Serio, with Locke starring alongside Ruaridh Mollica and Sophie Melville. Dates and venue details are expected to be announced soon.

The play, first staged in Dallas in 2015, follows Jake (Locke), a young gay man from Connecticut who relocates after being diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. He forms a connection with Chris (Mollica), who has a strained relationship with his mother (Melville).

The production will mark Hunter’s first West End staging of the play, which he describes as a story about “love and friendship in the midst of an unknown future.”

Locke, who appeared in Disney+’s Agatha All Along and starred on Broadway in Sweeney Todd in early 2024, shared that the West End opportunity is particularly meaningful, having grown up visiting London theatre with his mother.

Filming for the Heartstopper movie, which serves as a closing chapter to the series, is nearing completion, with Locke stating that the team is enjoying the process and looking forward to sharing the final chapter with audiences.