Turning the Screw

Exploring the dynamics of power and art, Turning the Screw is a fascinating and nuanced exploration of a key point in the life of composer Benjamin Britten and his relationships with boys.

It's 1950s Britain and 'pink panic' is on the rise. As the government is trying to crack down on ‘high profile homosexuals’, Britten is writing a new opera based on Henry James’ novella ‘The Turn of the Screw’. As he grapples with the melodies, and his own sexuality, he welcomes choirboy David Hemmings into the home he shares with his partner Peter Pears. Britten takes Hemmings under his wing for private lessons; to sing out loud, for the first time, the opera he is writing.

But this innocent relationship between Britten and Hemmings soon turns into an obsession and the ‘curious story’ on which the opera is based begins to bleed into their shared reality. This award winning play speaks to historic power imbalances within the arts, living with the knowledge that someone has the power to make or break you.