COWBOIS

By Diana Simmonds

November 23 2025

COWBOIS, Seymour Centre and Siren Theatre Co at the Reginald Theatre,  22 November-13 December 2025. Photography by Alex Vaughan: above Branden Christine; below: Jules Billington and company

When Cowbois, Charlie Josephine’s opened at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan theatre in 2023, it was an instant hit. It transferred to London’s Royal Court, gathering glowing reviews and ecstatic audiences along the way.

The non-binary writer is highly motivated, socially and politically, and, after I, Joan at the Globe, it was their second work to be staged by a major company. Of it they said, “My brain is fizzy and my body likes to move. I’m proper passionate about making art that’s honest, visceral, sweaty. Particularly stories that centre working class queer women and trans people.”

All the above is true and is definitely Cowbois, although some UK critics also pointed out that at two hours and 40 minutes, it was too long, and that the plot went off the rails in the second half. Nevertheless, as an evening’s passionate fun, it has way more going for it than detractors might have you believe.

Cowbois is about the wilder side of the Wild West, where men are men and everyone else is uneasy. In a nowhere town, the women have been left to fend for themselves when their menfolk take off on the latest promise of a gold rush. The only male left is hopelessly drunk sheriff Roger Jones (Matthew Abotomey).

Set in the saloon on whose bar is an endless supply of shot glasses and whiskey, the ravishing Miss Lillian (Emily Cascarino) quietly runs the town with a coterie of wives. They are religious nutcase Sally Ann (Jane Phegan), flamboyant frustratee Jane (Annie McKenna), quietly studious Lucy (Faith Chaza), and scrumptious earth mother Mary (Branden Christine), with her Kid (Rory Spinks), a boy who reminds us that children are born with 20/20 moral vision and without prejudice.

Every hitherto-held principle is turned upside down when Jack Cannon of the Wanted poster appears. As starstruck Kid asks, is Jack a bad bad guy, or a good bad guy, or a bad good guy, or…? They find an immediate rapport as Jack treats the Kid as their equal, while the women become mysteriously hot under the collar and other parts too. Jack is hilariously charming, throwing winks and nudges to the audience, and the casting of charismatic Jules Billington is the essential pivot around which a carousel of dreams, fantasies, hopes, and recognitions spins.

No spoiler that Miss Lillian falls for Jack. After all, it is the Wild West, where anything can happen, and a stylised, choreographed love scene (by Danica Lani) is a generous invitation to let go of preconceptions.

Between them, designer Emelia Simcox and lighting designer Brockman have transformed the Reginald into a spacious saloon bar, with comically lush, tasselled brocade drapes, and, for Jack, moments of tongue-in-cheek Western-Vogueing. Simcox has also rounded up trad cowboy boots for all and topped them off with outfits that range from Calamity Jane through True Grit to She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.

The show is good to look at, and director Kate Gaul has coaxed solid performances from her principals. Sound designer Aisling Bermingham does wonders with the difficulties of a live band (fiddle, guitar, banjo, harmonica and occasional piano) that wanders the West from stage to the upper level. Music and songs, by musical director Clay Crighton, are apposite and their turn, late in the piece, as bounty hunter Charlie Parkhurst would be improved if their cackle button were switched off.

As noted by some British critics, the second half is a bit dodgy as the men unexpectedly come home, without gold, expecting to be back in charge and on top. Language becomes somewhat didactic and cliched, and the drama iponderously predictable. It’s also unfortunate that the structure almost collapses because sexy Jack Cannon is disappeared while heteronormativity is re-established (via clueless husbands Nicholas Hiatt, Henry Lopez, Edward O’Leary, and Leon Walshe).

It could be seen to mirror wider society as minorities inevitably suffer for the good of the majority, but that doesn’t really wash. Having turned polite society upside down in glorious style, falling back on platitudes seems lazy, or unimaginative, or preachy, and that’s a pity.

As is the excessive length of the climactic gun fight. Lately returned Jack and new BFFs the townsfolk take on murderous outlaw Toothless Tommy (Zachary Aleksander) and his Toothless Boys: Lana Filies, Nelson Fannon and Hiatt. Watching people being shot from all angles is not the entertainment it was in John Wayne’s day, however. Editing rather than bullets would do wonders, and to the overall length too (at least 20 minutes).

Nevertheless, Cowbois is ambitious and eye-opening. The central romance is heart-warming. A lot is going on that’s interesting, important and rarely visited. Old farts and so-called Christians should probably stay away; otherwise, go for it.