Pride will play at the National Theatre from June 11 to September 12 2026. Preview performances will run at Sherman Theatre in Cardiff from March 31 to April 18 2026. For more details, visit the National Theatre website.
Summer, 1984. With miners on strike across the country, 24-year-old activist Mark Ashton tries to rally a disparate group of gay men and lesbians into forming a support group for the beleaguered strikers. Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) quickly finds itself entwined with a small pit village in South Wales.
What follows is the remarkable true story of two threatened communities joining forces—and discovering they have more in common than they ever imagined.
P&P Productions with the National Theatre, in association with Pathé, has today announced dates for Pride, a brand-new musical based on the award-winning film, reuniting director Matthew Warchus (Matilda The Musical) and writer Stephen Beresford (The Last of the Haussmans). This inspiring true story set during the 1984 miners’ strike, when a small group of gay men and lesbians lent their support to a small village in south Wales, will be brought to life on the National Theatre’s Dorfman stage from June 11 to September 12 2026, following preview performances at Sherman Theatre in Cardiff from March 31 to April 18 2026.
Funny, fierce and full of heart, Pride will have original music by Christopher Nightingale (A Christmas Carol), Josh Cohen (Sylvia) and DJ Walde (Sylvia). This timely and inspiring story of real-life events, where two communities united and set aside their differences, is set to an original score with songs inspired by protest anthems, pop, rock, disco and the Welsh choral tradition.
Casting is to be announced.
Pride has a book and lyrics by Stephen Beresford, music by Christopher Nightingale, Josh Cohen, and DJ Walde, and is developed and directed by Matthew Warchus. The artistic team is completed by set and costume designer Bunny Christie, choreographer Lizzi Gee, lighting designer Hugh Vanstone, sound designer Bobby Aitken, music supervisor Tom Kelly, music director Jo Cichonska and casting director David Grindrod CDG.
Speaking about bringing Pride to the stage, Director Matthew Warchus said, “It was one of the greatest joys and privileges of my career to direct the film version of ‘Pride’. I’m so excited to be working alongside Stephen again – together with Chris, Josh and DJ – to bring this hugely emotional and inspiring true story to the stage and let it sing.”
Writer Stephen Beresford and National Theatre Director Indhu Rubasingham respectively added, “It was an incredible experience to bring the true story of ‘Pride’ to the screen, and it’s equally thrilling to now bring it to the stage. The soaring, epic nature of this story seemed tailor-made for musical theatre—and collaborating with Josh and DJ, and reuniting with Matthew and Chris has been nothing short of a joy. I can’t wait for audiences to see it.”
“When I heard that Matthew and Stephen were adapting their beloved film ‘Pride’ as a stage musical, I knew instantly that I wanted it to be here at the National Theatre. The Dorfman is an intimate, flexible theatre renowned for new writing and for challenging expectations. The world premiere of ‘Pride’ will push the limits of what is possible in this space, both joyful and disrupting. I can’t wait for audiences to experience its power.”
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