After the Act review

Section 28 – enacted in 1988 to prevent the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality by schools and local authorities in the UK – was one of the most heinous pieces of legislation introduced in the 20th century. So it might seem strange that award-winning devised theatre company Breach has turned it into the focus of a new musical, debuting at London’s New Diorama Theatre.

However, in keeping with Breach’s previous work – such as It’s True, It’s True, It’s True – co-writers Ellice Stevens and Billy Barrett have brilliantly shaped the words of real people into a high-energy, rock-operatic indictment of the media exploitation and politically motivated hysteria that produced Section 28, blighting the lives of LGBTQ+ people in the UK.

Interviews conducted with students, activists and teachers, as well as the words of hate-filled tabloid headlines, are used to tell the story of how Section 28 evolved from a perfect storm of homophobia and ignorance in the mid-1980s, encompassing deliberately distorted reporting of children’s book Jenny Lives With Eric and Martin and the fear and stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. The recurring use of the word ordinary is an insidious part of the targeted campaign to portray gay adults as perverts looking to ‘convert’ kids.

Performed by a queer cast of four, all of whom grew up under Section 28, the show combines bombastic, sardonic set-pieces centred on the proponents of the legislation with heart-rending accounts of teachers and ex-students who still grapple with the guilt and shame of being tongue-tied in the classroom or forced into secret lives until it was repealed in the early 2000s. This change in tempo reminds us of Section 28’s harm and its absurdity. Importantly, the show also links its underlying attitudes with today’s rampant transphobia. However, it would be good to see more of a spotlight on why the law was repealed.

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