After the Act

A new 1980’s-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 community. After the Act is funny, camp and unapologetically queer but also a clear-eyed exposure of the political playbook used to enact repressive laws. Its joyously exuberant original live score 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 generation decided to fight back.