By Brian Williams
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Dave Semple is set to direct a production of Closer at the Palace Theatre in London. Photo taken on Sept. 8, 2025. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.Article contentAn upcoming stage production at London’s Palace Theatre may feature nude actors and scenes depicting sexuality, spurring the addition of an intimacy coach to the crew.Sign In or Create an Accountor View more offersArticle contentThe Old East Village venue is scheduled to house a production this winter of the dramatic play Closer on its Procunier Hall stage, which seats an audience of 75 to 80 people. The show’s poster warns that “viewer discretion is strongly advised.”Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentArticle contentAudiences are likely used to that kind of advisory. But it also notes the “stripped down” and “grown up” production is “not for the faint of heart.” The stripped-down reference may be literal, with director Dave Semple saying on-stage nudity may be included – depending on the comfort of the actors cast.Article content“I don’t like the idea of gratuitous nudity,” Semple said. “That’s not really the point of what I want to do with this particular production . . . but I want it to be authentic.”Article contentSemple said he believes theatre productions have tended to be “very light and fluffy and soft and feel good” since the Covid-19 pandemic by prioritizing comedies and musicals to fill seats, and lacking plays with “really hard issues.”Article contentCloser was written by British playwright Patrick Marber and premiered in 1997. It was adapted to film in 2004 and starred recognizable Hollywood actors Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen.Article contentArticle contentTo summarize the Palace Theatre’s synopsis of Closer, it is a “searing, modern drama of desire, betrayal and emotional truth” and follows four strangers whose lives become “entangled in a web of love, lies and shifting identities” through hospital rooms and strip clubs, from online chatrooms to art galleries.Article contentRead More Western Fair: What’s new, what’s back, what’s expected to draw big crowds Forget your calorie count and indulge at Western Fair Advertisement embed-more-topicStory continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentSemple said two scenes of the production would depict nudity, because he believed “it’s a natural thing to have happen,” noting the first would be a character working as a stripper in a strip club.Article contentThe other scene involves a couple that had previously “engaged in sexual activities,” but has an argument and gets out of bed naked afterwards. He notes the “authenticity” of people getting out of bed undressed after intimacy, adding that it’s “just a brief moment.”Article content“Nudity is such an intimate thing when it’s face to face, it’s not filmed, so there’s not a lot of distance between the audience and the performer (and) that can be a very uncomfortable thing for both audience and performer,” Semple said.Advertisement 1This advertisement has not loaded yet.Trending Info-Tech to hire 150 workers in London as global expansion speeds up Local Business Teacher charged with sexual assault arrested for breaching release order Local News Advertisement 1Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Italian pasta-maker opens London plant with plans to grow Local Business Two charged in downtown London shooting were out on bail: Court records Local News Legionnaires’ outbreak in London claims another life, infects one more Local News
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Article content Dave Semple is set to direct a production of Closer at the Palace Theatre in London. Photo taken on Sept. 8, 2025. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)Article contentSemple brought in Sarah Abbott-Taylor as an intimacy coach because she has prior theatre experience in the role. Intimacy coaches have become more prevalent in the last decade, Abbott-Taylor said.Article content“The job of an intimacy coordinator is to be able to have everybody feel comfortable with (the) director’s vision and the audience impact still maintained,” Abbott-Taylor said, noting the importance of respect and being cognizant of boundaries.Article content“It’s being very mindful and considerate of what those things are and how we navigate that together through the rehearsal process and building this piece for the public.”Article contentAbbott-Taylor also noted intimacy and nudity as being less common in community theatre as it may have once been, citing some productions shying away from the practice because some performers may decide not to audition for a role or “because it’s pushing that envelope a little bit.”Article contentHowever, for Closer, Abbott-Taylor said the “core of the story” is about “intimate relationships” and there’s a “vulnerability and layer” that pushes the story forward, even if it’s uncomfortable for the audience.Article contentAuditions for Closer begin on Wednesday and the production is scheduled to run between Feb. 5 and Feb. 15.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentThe Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of CanadaArticle content
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