What is Born With Teeth?

Posted on Apr 16, 2025 | By Sian McBride

Marking its West End premiere this summer, Born With Teeth is a fiery, fast-paced two-hander that pits two of England's greatest literary minds against one another. Starring Ncuti Gatwa and Edward Bluemel, here is everything you need to know about London’s hottest new play.

The Prologue

Following its 2021 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award win, Born With Teeth premiered at the Alley Theatre in Texas. Instantly catching the attention of critics and audiences alike, Liz Duffy Adams’ play was hailed for its sharp dialogue, intellectual seduction, and brilliant character work. It became a standout new work, lauded for both its literary sophistication and emotional impact, and was quickly produced an incredible 80 times! The play now makes its transatlantic leap to London, bringing its taut and tantalising energy to a whole new audience.

The Story

Set in the chilling winter of 1591. England is on edge - paranoia, conspiracy, and political suspicion are in the air. In this fraught atmosphere, two rising stars of the Elizabethan stage - Christopher “Kit” Marlowe and William Shakespeare - are thrown together in the backroom of a tavern. With nothing but a table between them, they are tasked with collaborating, but what ensues is far from peaceful.

They are rivals, they are muses, they are potential threats to each other - and in a world where spies lurk in every corner and loyalty is a fragile thing, every word they write could be a weapon, every line a trap. Over the course of three secret meetings, their minds clash and ignite, navigating ambition, flirtation, and the ever-looming spectre of betrayal.

The Players

The West End production brings together two of Britain's most interesting young talents: Ncuti Gatwa and Edward Bluemel.

Ncuti Gatwa, who takes on the dynamic and dangerous role of Christopher Marlowe, has already cemented his star status with his BAFTA-nominated performance in Sex Education and his history-making turn in Doctor Who. Known for his magnetic screen presence and emotional range, Gatwa is no stranger to time travel and historical figures, which makes his casting of the brilliant, unpredictable Marlowe as genius as the man himself. Commenting on the play, Gatwa gushed “Liz Duffy Adams has written an exceptional play that is smart, dark, sexy, sharp and funny! There’s a lot to get one's teeth into.”

Edward Bluemel steps into the boots of a young William Shakespeare with charm and nuance. Known for roles in Killing Eve, and My Lady Jane, Bluemel brings a layered subtlety to Shakespeare - the quieter half of the duo, whose ambition and intellect simmer beneath the surface. Where Gatwa’s Marlowe is fire, Bluemel’s Shakespeare is ice - until, of course, things begin to boil over. Commenting on the announcement Bluemel said “To be stepping into the shows of a young William Shakespeare is a huge thrill for any actor and I can’t wait to get started.”

The Playwrights

Both Marlowe and Shakespeare have long fascinated historians and artists alike, not just for their words but for the enigma of their lives.

Marlowe, the bad boy of Elizabethan theatre, was known as much for his plays (Doctor Faustus, Tamburlaine) as for his rumoured spywork and violent death. He died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 29 - stabbed above the eye in a tavern. Some believe it was a political assassination. Others whisper conspiracies about faked deaths and new identities.

Shakespeare, by contrast, was more of a self-made man. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, he rose to fame in London through relentless work and undeniable genius. But his early years are shadowy, and his sudden rise to prominence in the 1590s - just after Marlowe’s death - has stirred endless speculation. Did they know each other? Were they rivals? Was Shakespeare influenced - or even inspired - by Marlowe’s work?

The Epilogue

As it prepares to debut on the West End, expectations are sky-high. With its blend of literary drama, simmering queer tension, and high-stakes intrigue, Born With Teeth is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about shows of the season.

So enter the Wyndham's Theatre and step into a shadowy corner of literary history, book your Born With Teeth tickets now.