After the Act by Breach Theatre Company is a heartfelt, empowering musical that effectively captures the bruising legacy that Clause 28 had on the LGBT+ community.
Section 28 was made law in 1988 by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government and prevented local authorities and schools from “promoting” homosexuality from 1988 until 2003. After the Act, written by Billy Barrett and Ellice Stevens, tells the story of Section 28 from its genesis to its repeal using archive verbatim testimonies from members of the LGBT+ community, parliamentary transcripts, and news coverage.
The words of the LGBT+ community are often sung along to synths (very much the sound of the era), as a fiery collective voice against the legislation.
The first half of After the Act looks at how the clause emanated from a manufactured moral panic, perniciously whipped up by some of the Conservative backbenchers (most notably Dame Jill Knight) and certain right-wing tabloids. Against the backdrop of fearmongering about the AIDS pandemic, they alleged that teaching unions and some Labour local authorities were actively encouraging children to become gay. It was an early culture war, and one of its catalysts was a copy of the book Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin, about same-sex parents, which was made available in the library of a school under the Labour-controlled Haringey Council.
Gay campaigners fought back, and their high-profile protest stunts included lesbian activists abseiling into the Commons chamber and invading a BBC Six O’Clock News live studio broadcast. The Manchester 1988 protest march is led by the rousing anthem: “No Government is going to force us to back in the closet! Because who the hell’s gonna get a closet big enough for all of us?”
All of this is exuberantly recreated on stage by the shining cast of four, who play a multitude of characters.
The second half of the piece then traverses the inspiring true stories of LGBT+ activists, students, and educators as they deal with the fallout of Section 28. The clause was eventually repealed in 2003 without a single prosecution, but its legacy cast a long-lasting shadow over the education system and caused collective trauma for many people in the LGBT+ communities.
After the Act is educational but never didactic. It is a celebratory piece of theatre that always engages and cleverly weaves together personal stories of hurt, rebellion, and also joy. It may be triggering for some audience members.
One of the most evocative recollections is given by Zachary Willis as Ian, a 15-year-old schoolboy who wildly scratches chalk on a blackboard in frustration to convey his inner turmoil as he tearfully talks about self-harm and suicide. Another involves Ellice Stevens as a guilt-ridden teacher who is unable to help a pupil questioning their sexuality because she is terrified it might destroy her career in education.
The production is effectively supported throughout by montages of grainy 1980s-style VHS projections by Zakk Hein. The music by composer Frew embraces the spirit of the times with synth-backed songs, although at times the characters’ words are drowned out by overly heavy beats.
After the Act ends with a stark reminder of why it is so important to remember Section 28 in the light of some of the present-day rhetoric demonising trans people.
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