After the Act

After the Act is a new 1980s-inspired musical about pride, protest… and abseiling lesbians.

Thatcher’s Section 28, which banned the “promotion” of homosexuality in schools, was the landmark legislation that silenced a generation, offered a global blueprint for LGBTQ+ oppression and galvanised a movement. After the Act is funny, camp and unapologetically queer but also a clear-eyed exposure of the political playbook used to enact repressive laws.

A joyously exuberant original live score by composer and musical director Frew, accompanies the inspiring, sometimes heart-breaking, stories of teachers, students and activists impacted by the legislation. This is the story of how a moral panic gripped a nation – and a community decided to fight back, written by Ellice Stevens and Billy Barrett.