After the Act – Liverpool Playhouse

Breach Theatre have tapped into the extreme niche that is the verbatim musical (the only other that comes to mind is Alecky Blythe’s ‘London Road’). Directed by Billy Barrett, ‘After the Act’ illuminates the shockingly recent aftermath of Section 28, which prohibited the so-called ‘promotion of homosexuality’ in schools.

The narrative is replete with first-hand, personal experiences of the Section 28’s harrowing impact, and the wider political conversation, weaving artfully between the two. Given that the show is replete with historical information such as contemporary House of Lords debates and the prevalence of Haringey parents’ protests in the Act’s construction, I came out of the theatre feeling much more informed. Ultimately, the personal accounts are the most compelling: we hear of a gay man’s experience of sex during the AIDS crisis; of the isolation and fear of a lesbian schoolgirl; and of the two activist lesbians who went to extreme lengths to get press coverage of the Act’s harm. Writers Billy Barrett and Ellice Stevens handle their interviewees’ speech with care and do not shy from inherent humour. Surrounded by a school setting, featuring gym horses and blackboards, the four actors almost always tell the story as a company, supporting each other’s monologues with movement. Perhaps the show might have benefitted from a larger ensemble, as the stylised gestures of this small cast sometimes withdrew from the speech.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t help but sense a tug-of-war between the music and the striking personal testimonies; the music was unremarkable and therefore failed to support the gravity of the speech. Theatrically, I’m not at all convinced the subject matter is suited to the musical form. As a result, the show had a scratchy feel to it (at best) and (at worst) had some terribly jarring moments between song and speech.

It really was a show of two halves, with the second act being significantly more enjoyable. This might be owing to its shorter length, or its chance for us to get some breathing space from the music, or its irreverent opening. The second act introduced a full-throttle camped-up Margaret Thatcher singing her Conservative conference speech… and what a jump-scare that was! Zachary Willis was also particularly outstanding in his portrayal of Ian, a gay man who grew up in shame under the Act; the use of the scraping chalk to represent his self-harm is a potent and enduring theatrical image. There is also a brief talking-heads-style scene, in which testimonies are interspersed during a ‘loud’ silence, with one character drawing an important comparison to the prejudice and suppression that today’s trans community face.

The reenactment of the joyful demonstration in Manchester’s Albert Square makes for an inspiring conclusion and a fervent reminder of the role of community activism. As a piece of verbatim theatre that strikes the balance between political and personal histories, ‘After the Act’ is most definitely worth a watch.

Reviewer: Eleanor Hall

Reviewed: 24th October 2024

North West End UK Rating: