Renton, Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie – names that, for those of us who were paying any attention to life in the 1990s, are immediately family. They bounced out from the cinema screen and also from Irvine Welsh’s groundbreaking novel Trainspotting, which brought new rhythms and realities on to the page and into our lives.
But where are these characters now? In Men in Love, Welsh returns to Trainspotting’s characters to explore what happens when youth, excess and rebellion give way to intimacy, responsibility and emotional risk. Set against late-80s rave culture, the lives of Renton, Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie shift focus as Welsh asks what love looks like for men shaped by friendship, addiction and social expectation.
This year’s Charleston Festival will feature a fascinating talk from Irvine Welsh, in conversation with Miranda Sawyer, as he reflects on masculinity, vulnerability and the limits of bravado. Now in its 37th year, this festival continues to bring in amazing names with important perspectives on life and literature. And this year’s programme features many fascinating names.
Men In Love will be held at 5pm on Saturday 23 May at Charleston Farmhouse, with tickets from £10.
Tickets are available from the Charleston Festival website.
Find more arts and culture reviews at Brighton and Hove News – Follow @BHCitywhatson and @bhcitynews on Instagram.
Covering everything from fringe theatre to major tours across Brighton and Hove – tag us if you’re going!
