The new stage musical adaptation of the 2014 film Pride has opened at the Dorfman Theatre in London, reuniting screenwriter Stephen Beresford and director Matthew Warchus. The show tells the true story of LGBTQ+ activists who fundraised for striking miners in a Welsh pit village during the 1980s, forging an enduring friendship between the two communities.
The production captures the joy-filled spirit of the film while adding song, movement, and theatrical imagination. The story begins when Mark (Jhon Lumsden) founds Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners in 1984, arguing that both communities face persecution. The activists befriend the miners of Onllwyn and raise funds to lift them out of poverty caused by the strike.
The musical tackles tough subjects including homophobic abuse, coming out, the Aids crisis, and Margaret Thatcher's breaking of the miners' union, all sweetened by sentiment. The action takes place on a scaffold and gantry structure designed by Bunny Christie, where protest speeches and banner-waving occur.
Five narrators tell the story, sometimes addressing the audience directly. Standout moments include a bittersweet set-piece by Jonathan (Samuel Barnett) about his HIV diagnosis, and a deeply moving coming-out story for timid Bromley (Lewis Cornay) with the song Mum 1. The songs range from Welsh choral music to disco, with wit and heart.
The show serves as a reminder of how coming together can overcome prejudice, feeling particularly relevant at a time when queer rights are being rolled back. It is described as a remarkable piece of British social history, deeply moving and important.
