Shoppers and theatre-goers are returning to a beloved bit of recent history in a joyous new musical , Pride , which follows 1980s LGBTQ+ activists who fundraised for a Welsh pit village during the miners’ strike, and shows why solidarity still matters when rights feel under threat.

Essential Takeaways

  • True story roots: The musical is based on the real Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners campaign, a cross-community alliance born in 1984.
  • Energetic staging: Director Matthew Warchus and designer Bunny Christie use scaffold-like sets and lively movement to keep the action tactile and theatrical.
  • Songs and mood: A mix of Welsh choral swells, disco beats and ballads gives the show warmth, wit and occasional sting.
  • Emotional highlights: Standout moments include a wrenching HIV diagnosis ballad and moving coming-out numbers that feel intimate and immediate.
  • Cultural resonance: The production’s message about talking to those you fear lands amid contemporary rollbacks of queer rights.

A joyful retelling with a political heartbeat

The opening scene lands with the kind of clamorous, slightly sweaty thrill you get in a packed room before a big speech; you can almost smell the cardboard banners and leaflets. The new stage musical version of Pride keeps the sense of campaigning urgency from the 2014 film while leaning into theatrical pleasures , songs, choreography and direct addresses to the audience. The result is celebratory but not saccharine, a reminder that humour and tenderness were weapons as well as comforts for activists.

How the unlikely alliance formed , and why it still surprises

Backstory matters here: Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) began when activists in London recognised their own persecution in the struggles of striking miners in south Wales. According to historical accounts and contemporary organisers, that first handshake turned into fundraising, mutual visits and long friendships. It’s a story that sounds improbably feelgood, yet it’s entirely true, and the musical captures the surprise of two very different communities learning to trust one another.

Songs that swing from disco to dirge

Musically the show is ambitious, wobbling between rousing Welsh choral moments and snappy disco numbers, with a handful of ballads that stop the room cold. The soundtrack mirrors the emotional terrain: cheeky chants at protests, bawdy humour to break the tension, then a gutting solo about an HIV diagnosis that carries real theatrical weight. If you like a score that can make you want to dance and then leave you raw, this fits the bill.

Characters you’ll cheer for , and the ones you wish had more space

The ensemble is built on a chorus of narrators, each with a shard of story to tell, and several performances cut through , notably the actor playing the lead organiser and a shy young character whose coming-out song lands with real vulnerability. That said, the stage version trims some film subplots and concentrates perspective, so some figures who felt broader on screen are more compact here. It’s theatrical economy rather than oversight, but you might still miss the fuller cast dynamics of the movie.

Why Pride feels urgent in 2026

The show’s biggest trick is timing: it’s both a piece of nostalgia and a call to arms. With discussions about queer rights, censorship and the politics of difference back in the headlines, the musical’s central message about speaking across divides feels particularly resonant. Theatre has always been a place to rehearse empathy, and Pride offers a practical guide , try conversation, find common ground, keep humour close , for anyone wondering how to rebuild trust in fractious times.

It's a small change that can make every show and every campaign more humane.

Source Reference Map

Story idea inspired by: [1]

Sources by paragraph: