'I'm not in your Britain. I'm in another Britain.'

Zafar flees homophobic persecution in Pakistan to seek asylum in the UK. Londoner Bilal (or Billy as he prefers to be known) is ground down by years of Grindr and the complexity of being a brown gay man.

In Soho, at 2 a.m., worlds collide – and Zafar and Billy's lives are about to change forever.

The P Word is Waleed Akhtar's sharp-witted and devastating play charting the parallel lives of two gay Pakistani men as they negotiate everything from casual hook-ups to the UK's hostile environment.

It was premiered at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2022, directed by Anthony Simpson-Pike, and received widespread critical acclaim, winning the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre. The production was revived at the Bush in 2026, and this edition features the revised and updated version of the text.



Waleed Akhtar was named the Most Promising New Playwright at the 2023 OffWestEnd Awards, for both The P Word and his debut play, Kabul Goes Pop: Music Television Afghanistan. His other work includes The Real Ones (also for the Bush) and Mrs. Bibi (for Audible Originals).



'Tremendous, gorgeous, devastating... The P Word is heart-meltingly lovely, full of faith in the transformative power of love and friendship'



'A tremendous two-man rom-com'



'A love story of heat and heart... Akhtar's script is self-aware and sprinkled with humour... thrillingly moving'



'A tightly woven blend of acute observational humour, heartstopping drama, and chilling social commentary; Akhtar has so much to say, and somehow he manages to express himself with great skill and heart in approximately 80 minutes of stage time... truly magical... a fantastic piece of new writing... As far as I'm concerned, the P is for perfection'



'Part gay Bollywood romcom, part nail-biting thriller... an uplifting, heartwarming and incredibly funny piece of theatre'



'An irresistible romance and so much more... a bewitching love story that raises urgent issues... the story has an irresistible quality that makes us believe in it and we are swept along... a drama with hope, romance and heart'



'A beautifully wrought two-hander... Impressively heartfelt... Akhtar's writing is beautiful in its playfulness and precision... the Bollywood-style romantic ending is delivered brilliantly, so beautifully done you won't be afraid to cry... a perfect balance of joy and gloom... genuinely urgent and moving'