After The Act: A Section 28 Musical is a production based on commentary from people who experienced living under the infamous Section 28; the UK legislation that prohibited the 'promotion' of homosexuality in schools.
Almost every word in this show is taken from interviews with students, activists, and teachers, as well as from tabloid articles, news clips and political speeches from this period of our history.
The documentary-style musical “examines the long shadow of Section 28, the UK legislation that prohibited the 'promotion' of homosexuality in schools. Created to mark 35 years since it was voted into law by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government, and 20 years since its repeal, award-winning theatre makers Breach's new musical gives voice to those who grew up under the act.”
Ellice Stevens and Billy Barrett from Breach Theatre explain: "As part of the generation that grew up under Section 28, this is a story that's hugely personal to us as well as political. The moral panic of the 1980s over LGBT-inclusive education had an enormous impact on our coming of age and sense of ourselves as young queer people in the nineties and noughties. It's been fascinating and a real privilege to speak to so many LGBT people of a slightly older generation who remember the fight for and against Section 28, and to people of all ages on its impact on them. Unfortunately, since creating this show, their stories feel more relevant and urgent than ever. We hope that by telling them, anyone who comes to see After the Act will be inspired to continue the fight for LGBT+ rights and representation."
Following a record-breaking, sold-out run at London's New Diorama (commissioners of the show, supported by the National Theatre Studio), and a critically acclaimed transfer to the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Breach Theatre's After The Act comes to Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry in November. Ellice and Billy – who co-founded Breach Theatre – are both alumni of the University of Warwick, so this marks a return to their old stomping group.
Ahead of its run at Warwick Arts Centre (Friday 1st – Saturday 2nd November 2024), Midlands Rainbow spoke with Ellice Stevens (co-founder / co-writer / actor) in a short interview about After the Act:
What do you think the lasting impact of Section 28 on students, teachers and the arts has been, even after it was repealed?
I think even after it was repealed it cast a long shadow. As makers of the show, Billy (co-founder, co-writer & director), Frew (original score & actor) and I were all at school at the tail end of Section 28 and were at secondary school after its repeal. We all had very little, or no, queer representation in our sex education, even after S28 wasn't in law anymore. Speaking to all the interviewees who were at school under it, or who worked as queer teachers during Section 28, there was a repetition of the word "shame". I think if there's no way of seeing yourself represented, and no one's giving you any messages that being yourself is okay, that feeling of shame is ultimately what it leads to, and that's a really damaging thing.
We also spoke to teachers who had trained since the repeal, and they also said that it was still having an impact on the way they are trained to teach, in particular with worries surrounding LGBT+ groups for children. I think there are schools that are doing brilliant things, where this wouldn't be an issue, but we spoke to some teachers who met real resistance from other teachers/head teachers when trying to set up LGBT+ clubs for students. I spoke to someone who said all their resources for the club they were leading had to be screened to make sure they wouldn't be seen to be teaching or promoting anything to these students. There are young people who are LGBTQ+ and they need spaces where they can be themselves and learn about who they are - but I got the sense there's a real fear about parental backlash which means in certain schools these groups find it hard to get off the ground.
In terms of the arts, I don't think there's been a clear impact from Section 28, but I do think that we're seeing similar fears and worries that came to a head in the 80s playing out again now in relation to certain shows etc. In the build-up to Section 28, parents rights groups protested Haringey Council's Positive Images initiative, which was trying to put positive images of gays and lesbians into schools. There was a book called Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin which was about a young girl with 2 dads that caused uproar. The book was burnt in public and council chamber meetings became violent over materials like this found in school libraries, even though there were only actually a few copies. I think looking at more recent protests against events like Drag Story Time, or shows which have been cancelled due to protests from people objecting to what children are being exposed to (without having seen the show themselves) and having their funding revoked because of it, I think there is still a real scrutiny about what art can and can't be, particularly when made for children. I don't think any of this art is trying to turn kids gay, just like Haringey Council weren't- that's not how "being gay" or queerness even works. Nobody has ever been "turned gay" by reading a book in a local authority library, or through watching a drag performer in a glittery dress. They're trying to create a space where children can learn about all different kinds of people, and I think we're seeing that adults still find that really scary, and that fear holds a lot of power.
If people take just one thing away from this show, what would you want that message to be?
This show is made up of quite a few different strands, using verbatim materials from first-hand testimonies, newspaper articles and political speeches. It's an attempt to expose the political playbook, to see how laws like Section 28 can come to pass and the effect they can have on individuals. I'd love it if people came to the show and reflected on that, so they can identify and fight back when it happens again. We made this show to learn and educate about Section 28, which we consider to be a crucial part of queer history but didn't know much about - but also to invite people to reflect on the way trans rights are being talked about right now. It's about asking if what happened in the 80s is happening again, and what side we're on.
What do you think we can do to avoid repeating history, in particular with regard to our trans siblings?
I think we need to stay alert to the language that's being used in the press and in Parliament, particularly in relation to how trans people are discussed and in relation to child protection. Looking at the reality of the situation, staying informed and fighting against the hysteria. I think it's important to protest against harmful policies, it's important to show alliance, important to speak up, and it's important to fight against anything like Section 28 happening again. We've seen how harmful it can be and the legacy it leaves behind - we can't go back and change time, so the least we can do is learn from it.
Tickets for After The Act: A Section 28 Musical at Warwick Arts Centre are available to book now. Saturday 2nd November offers a BSL-interpreted performance of this show. The tour was co-produced by Brighton Dome, HOME, New Diorama and Warwick Arts Centre. Its London production and tour were both supported by Arts Council England.
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