Don't hate the media, become the media. Jello Biafra
< Back to Theatre Interviews
Max Hyner
SUGA
TNC THEATRE INTERVIEW | 2026
Housemates Festival 2026: SUGA
Brixton House
1 – 5 Sept | 20:00
Cast
Max Hyner Harry
Fanta Barrie Sira
Jon Campling Daddy
Writer Max Hyner
Director & Dramaturg Sean Landis
Image © Courtney Nathan Phillip
Video: Luke Moreau, Sean Landis
Aug, 29, 2026
Drowning in debt, Harry signs up to a website connecting struggling individuals with wealthy ‘sugar daddies’ and begins a seemingly straightforward and initially transactional relationship with Daddy. As their relationship evolves beyond money, fantasies begin to clash with bitter realities; nothing is as sweet as it seems when it’s SUGA-coated.
Hi Max, thank you for taking the time to talk with us during this year's Housemates Festival. What does it mean to be debuting SUGA at Brixton House in September?
Thank you so much for having me! Ahh it’s honestly such a dream to be debuting at Brixton House. Not only is the theatre’s programming exciting and thriving, but the building, the staff, and the whole atmosphere inside are just so lovely and joyous.
I wrote this play when I was living in Clapham - South London is deeply rooted at the core of the story. Not just geographically, but also in the souls of the characters and their relationships to each other and themselves. And so I honestly couldn’t think of a better theatre to have SUGA debut at.
Do nerves ever creep in ahead of opening night, or are you able to push it all out of your mind?
Oooh I definitely do get nervous, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit nervous about opening next week… I am a bit of a worrier - perhaps something I share in common with Harry - and I do worry about most things when it comes to opening night. My nerves were MUCH more present a few weeks ago, but have been held at bay a bit since we started rehearsals. Which is a strange but new and exciting feeling for me.
How important was the support you got from Soho Theatre Writer’s Lab, and the Theatre Royal Haymarket’s Masterclass programme in developing SUGA?
The support from Masterclass was incredibly important for developing SUGA. It was during their Script Scratch program that I met Sean Landis (director) and Maya Heritage (designer) that sparked the collaboration for this run. Definitely worth saying too that I owe this run to Sean’s tenacity and drive to get it put on.
Soho Writers’ Lab was also great. I don’t think there are many accessible courses for emerging writers whereby you get to work so closely with an institution, or with individuals who are working in the industry. My assigned dramaturg Chloe was great; she understood my vision, my brain and helped me to make the most sense of the play at that time. And so for that, I am incredibly grateful to have been supported by them.
What feedback did you take from your rehearsed reading at Camden People’s Theatre, and how helpful was this in allowing you to create the vision you wanted for SUGA?
I always wanted the piece to feel fast-paced and rapid - almost to echo that kind of repetitive spirit of consumerism and capitalism. There was some feedback around the final act in terms of pacing that I think has now made the show tighter and faster ultimately supporting that vision. We also got some feedback on making the story more resolved - which I think is always great.
What makes South London theatre so special?
I think it’s the sense of community - that’s something that I feel strongly with South London in general. And I think the theatre here speaks to that exact rhythm of life; it’s vibrant, a bit chaotic, but charming and homely.
Can you tell me a little bit about how SUGA came about, and what was the inspiration behind your new play?
I had a conversation a few years ago with a friend’s brother who was a sugar baby. At the time, I was completely blown away by the sheer blaze-ness in which they spoke about their experience. Having their rent paid for, being driven around in blacked out cars, taken for dinner in the Shard.
I’d forgotten about this until a few years later. All the conversations I was having with my friends, with people around me were to do with money and the rising cost of living.
There is a systemic crisis in the UK; the gap between wages and the cost of living is making it impossible to lead a whole and fulfilling life without needing to rely on multiple streams of income. So, it’s no surprise that there’s been a rise in platforms like OnlyFans or Seeking Arrangement in the last 5-10 years.
It was from the intersection of these two threads that I decided to write this story.
If you could describe Harry in a sentence, what would you say?
Harry is witty, soft-hearted, a bit delusional and also struggling desperately with demons both within and around him.
How self-reflective are you as a writer? Do you find yourself drawing inspiration from your own life and lived experiences?
I think I draw massively on my own experiences and life, but I enjoy distorting it; pushing certain things further, pulling some things back. Perhaps I’ve found I enjoy writing so much because of this - as a way of trying to answer questions I have about my own life, relationships, place etc
I’ve never been a sugar baby, but I could see myself maybe getting a bit carried away just like Harry, and that was definitely a launchpad for some of the themes of the play. There are things peppered throughout the play that I think, anyone who knows me well, would be able to tell from a line up that it’s me who wrote SUGA.
What were the biggest challenges you faced bringing this play to the festival?
I think the biggest challenge has been the ol’ imposter syndrome creeping in at unwanted moments. Are you an actor, a writer, a creative of any kind, without that???? If you’re not please tell me your secrets.
As a writer/performer, do you allow yourself/cast some flexibility with the script once the show is running, or do you prefer to stick to the text as written?
This is the first time I’ve had my work performed in this capacity so I have been working out how I feel about this as I go. Our rehearsal process was very fluid, and I felt really open as Max The Writer to listening to what the other actors had to say on the text - if things weren’t clear, weren’t working.
For me, it’s a piece of theatre that was always intended to be performed, and so it was incredibly liberating to have these conversations with the cast. I am totally open to having the conversation to either cut, or find a more natural way of something being said. As long as it doesn’t affect plot, character or narrative.
I think that’s ultimately what it’s about - learning when to listen to what other people have to say, and when to fight your corner for something you believe.
What does SUGA say about you as a playwright and the type of theatre you want to make?
I think it speaks to making space for silly jokes amongst lyrical verse. That there is always humour, absurdity and wit hidden amongst tragedy and sadness. That both things can be true at once. You can make people smile, make them squirm, and make them fall in love, all whilst also critiquing the biggest evil of all - capitalism. That’s what I am most interested in, and that is the kind of theatre I want to make.
"I think the first show that truly got me hooked though was probably Far Away at the Young Vic in 2014."
When working on a play like this, how essential is the creative collaboration between yourself and your director/dramaturg, Sean Landis?
The dramaturgical support of Sean has been essential. He has offered so much insight and played a key role in ensuring the story is tight and sound. As the play pivots into the surreal, it has been essential to have a collaboration between everyone in the team to ensure clarity - if we don’t understand it, then how will an audience?!
What have you discovered about yourself as a playwright throughout this process of bringing SUGA to the stage?
My work is intended to be performed and that’s where it is at it’s most exciting for me!
Have you always had a passion for theatre?
Honestly yes. When my parents sent me to Stagecoach at 7 years old, a lifelong passion was born.
What was the first show you saw that hooked you? For me, it was Our Country’s Good, Liverpool Everyman.
I was quite lucky growing up in the suburbs that I got to see some great shows. Whilst my parents aren’t theatre people they did, and still do, enjoy going to watch a show every now and then.
The first thing I remember seeing was a production of Fame when I was about 7 or 8. I don’t remember anything except that they said the word ‘shit’. I think the first show that truly got me hooked though was probably Far Away at the Young Vic in 2014. The play is insane but I also just loved the traverse staging and all the silly hats.
How important is it to continue to push the boundaries of the type of theatre you want to create?
I think pushing boundaries is vital. To me, the freedom to write the stories you want to write, exactly when you want to write them, without changing the tone or message is so important. If you stay true and authentic to your voice, there will always be someone in that room who feels seen, heard, and completely understood by what you’ve shared.
And finally, what do you hope your audiences will take away from SUGA?
This is SUCH a hard question for me and was actually something I really struggled with when first writing SUGA on Soho Writers’ Lab. But honestly I hope audiences take away the vital importance of community and connection.
Living in this hell-hole of late-stage capitalism, all we really want to do is be with other people. We all just want to connect, feel seen, and find out who we are through the people around us. And I hope that is seen and felt by all who come to watch the show.