A stated part of Indhu Rubasingham’s plan as the new artistic director of the National Theatre is to shake up the smaller Dorfman a little. It had settled into pretty much a straight up new writing house, but her initial programming includes not only revivals and a Punchdrunk show, but also a commnitment to starting new musicals out on the NT’s smaller stages, not its biggest ones.
Here’s the first fruit of that policy, as Matthew Warchus directs Stephen Beresford’s adaptation of their own acclaimed 2014 film. Based on a true story and real characters, Pride tells the story of the solidarity the British LGBT community offered the striking miners in the ’80s, with the story revolving around yoiung gay activist Mark Ashton, who brokered the unlikely alliance.
Jhon Lumbden plays Mark, in an ensemble that also includes Samuel Barnett and Chris Jenkins. We’ve no real idea what to expect musically: Beresford will handle the lyrics, with the actual tunes penned by Christopher Nightingale, Josh Cohen and DJ Walde.
