We’ve been following Nathaniel Hall’s work since he appeared on our screens last year as part of Russell T Davies’ seminal TV series It’s A Sin, and reviewed his play First Time when it toured a few months ago.
Nathaniel and playwright Chris Hoyle are the artistic directors of Dibby Theatre; alongside producer Ross Carey, the trio run this queer Manchester-based theatre company.
This Pride month they have launched Dibby’s LGBTQ+ Community Arts Fund, which aims to support LGBTQ+ creatives and communities to thrive across Greater Manchester. “Dibby is led by three white cis-gendered gay men and the fund is about us showing up for other people in our community – supporting intersectional voices and offering training and development,” says Nathaniel. “It’s about us cis-het gays stepping up and being better allies and supporting others. “As a gay man living with HIV, I know all too well the extra challenges many LGBTQ+ people face.
I was bullied at school, have faced prejudiced attitudes at work and have been violently attacked in the street. It’s not surprising that 1 in 2 LGBTQ+ people experience mental ill health.