Pride the Musical: Politics and representation in Musical Theatre.

When you first hear the words musicals and politics together, what’s your initial response? Perhaps something about how musicals are light entertainment, or that Hamilton is political but focuses on the past. Maybe you think musicals oversimplify complex issues, after all they are just songs and dancing. These are all valid concerns, and it is easy to see why people would think this. However, if I asked you what you thought when you hear pride and politics together, I’m sure you would have a very different response. Pride celebrations are inherently political and act as a yearly reminder of the Stonewall Riots and the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights everywhere, but what about when pride is explored through musical theatre? 

Having been rumoured since 2014, the new musical Pride follows the story of the 1984 miners strikes and how groups of lesbian and gay activists supported the striking communities throughout. It will explore ideas of protest and pride, and the historical importance of the LGSM. The film of the same name was a huge success, winning its director, Matthew Warchus, much recognition and critical acclaim. According to Rotten Tomatoes 92% of critics gave it a positive review. The musical has much excitement surrounding it with the cast being revealed recently and premiers occurring in the Sherman Theatre in South Wales. The writing and music have been done by Stephen Beresford and Christopher Nightingale.  

However, if I asked you what you thought when you hear pride and politics together, I’m sure you would have a very different response.

Pride might seem like a strange topic for a musical, however, this is the latest in a long series of politically charged shows. Afterall, theatre will always reflect its time, whether that is a conscious choice or not. Even going back to the Golden Age of musicals, the most famous are political. The Sound of Music (1959) and Cabaret (1966) both examine life during the Nazi occupation. Whilst the legacy of the second world war and the Nazi occupation might seem far in the past now, at the time these musicals were written, it still was in living memory, much like the miners strikes in Warchus’ Pride.  

Contemporary musical theatre remains political, Hamilton, arguably the most popular musical written in the modern day, focuses on the founding fathers of America, whilst also making a comment on race with a predominantly black cast. Les Misérables tackles the French revolution, and its songs have been used as metaphors for the time we are living in now. ‘Do You Hear the People Sing’ was repeatedly sung in Hong Kong during 2019 protests opposing the control of the government and asking for more freedom. Clearly, musical theatre is a place where politics belongs. There are also examples of musicals which already focus on Thatcherism, and the miners strikes, such as Billy Elliot, which is a hugely popular musical.  

Pride is a poignant topic recently due to rises in anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric stemming the far-right. Musicals and pride celebrations both use music, dancing and spectacle to provoke their audiences. Musicals often get a much wider audience and so need to be less direct in their messaging, however it is always present for those who want to find it. They both have a highly political past and so a musical focusing on pride seems to be very fitting. 

Clearly, musical theatre is a place where politics belongs

According to Matthew Woodyatt, a cast member, the musical is a beautiful story about two communities, both in need of desperate help who meet and help each other at their lowest. It is not just about the miners strikes but it looks at the emotional impact and legacy that has been left. Lots of research went into the original 2014 movie all of which has been carried into the musical, being directed and written by Warchus. The cast has lots of Welsh actors, as well as members of the LGBTQIA+ community, many of whom remember the miners strikes, and one of whom attended the 1985 marches. This implies that the musical will likely tackle the issues it focuses on with care and nuance and is unlikely to overly simplify any of it.  

Pride the Musical will be showing in the National Theatre from June to September after previewing in the Sherman Theatre.