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Pride the Musical, about LGSM and the 1984 miners’ strike, reaches the Bridge Theatre in November
The stage musical based on the 2014 film, about lesbian and gay activists who raised money for striking Welsh miners, comes to London after two sold-out runs.
Key facts
- Opens at the Bridge Theatre, 3 Potters Fields Park, SE1 2SG, on Thursday 12 November
- Earlier runs at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff and the National Theatre both sold out
- Book and lyrics by Stephen Beresford; developed and directed by Matthew Warchus
- Set during the 1984 miners' strike in South Wales
Pride, the stage musical adapted from the 2014 film and the true story behind it, opens at the Bridge Theatre on Thursday 12 November. The 900-seat theatre will host its London premiere.
The show arrives with a strong record. Both of its earlier runs broke records and sold out. The first was at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff, and the second was at the National Theatre.
The story begins in the summer of 1984, with the miners’ strike under way. The government is threatening the coal industry, and it also calls homosexuality a threat to British family values. Mark Ashton, a 24-year-old activist, sees an unlikely chance in all this. He gathers lesbian and gay campaigners to raise money for striking miners in South Wales.
The group takes the name Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, or LGSM, and later helps a small village in South Wales. The musical follows the friendship that forms between the activists and the mining community. Hope and a shared sense of humour keep it going, and two groups that had little in common end up on the same side.
Who is behind Pride the Musical
Stephen Beresford wrote the book and lyrics, and Matthew Warchus developed and directed the show. It is not their first collaboration. The pair also made the film Elsinore, which is due out soon.
The original score is by Christopher Nightingale, known for A Christmas Carol, working with Josh Cohen and DJ Walde, who both worked on Sylvia. Their songs take their cue from protest anthems and Welsh choral singing, with pop, rock and disco in the mix as well.
Bridge Theatre London: where to see Pride and how to book
The Bridge Theatre is at 3 Potters Fields Park, London, SE1 2SG, close to Tower Bridge on the south bank. Tickets and full details of the London run are on the show’s website, www.pridethemusical.com.
Key questions
When does Pride the Musical open in London?
It opens at the Bridge Theatre on Thursday 12 November.
Where is the Bridge Theatre?
At 3 Potters Fields Park, London, SE1 2SG.
Where can I book tickets for Pride the Musical?
Tickets and full details are on www.pridethemusical.com.
What is Pride the Musical about?
It is set in 1984. Activist Mark Ashton brought together lesbian and gay campaigners who formed Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, raised money for striking miners and went on to help a small village in South Wales.
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