Pride musical’s world premiere – first listen

The National Theatre has released a new video for the musical version of Pride, featuring a first listen of “You Stood By Me” from the show.

Based on the 2014 film of the same name, it is being presented by P&P Productions with the National Theatre in association with Pathé, Calamity Films and David Binder Productions. The piece was previously staged at Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre from 31 March to 18 April and is scheduled to run in London at the National’s Dorfman Theatre from 11 June to 12 September 2026.

The show reunites director Matthew Warchus (who also directed the original film) and writer Stephen Beresford, who return to the true story that inspired the original screenplay.

Set during the miners’ strike of 1984, the musical follows Mark, a young man who joins a group of lesbian and gay activists who lend their support to the striking mining communities. The production’s development has been well-documented for a number of years.

The video shows the cast and creative team of Pride, visiting Ystradgynlais in the Upper Swansea Valley, where they met the former mining communities and members of LGSM, who inspired the true events of the film, in the former Miners’ Welfare Hall. Matthew Woodyatt (who plays Dai in the musical) provides lead vocals for “You Stood By Me”.

The cast features Samuel Barnett as Jonathan, Lewis Cornay as Bromley, Matthew Durkan as Mike, Gillian Elisa as Gwen, Robin Hayward as Martin, Chris Jenkins as Gethin, Darren Lawrence as Cliff, Jhon Lumsden as Mark, Kirsty Malpass as Hefina, Sarah Pugh as Sian, Jordan Shaw as Reggie, Courtney Stapleton as Steph, Caroline Sheen as Maureen, Mared Williams as Margaret and Woodyatt as Dai.

They are joined by an ensemble that includes Daniel Forrester, Madeleine Morgan, Catherine Morris and Graham Vick.

Pride has a book and lyrics by Beresford, music by Christopher Nightingale, Josh Cohen and DJ Walde, and is developed and directed by Warchus. Orchestrations are by Nightingale and Tom Kelly, with music supervision by Kelly and additional orchestrations by Cohen and Walde.

The creative team is completed by set and costume designer Bunny Christie, choreographer Lizzi Gee, lighting designer Hugh Vanstone, sound designer Bobby Aitken, music director Jo Cichonska, hair, wigs and make-up designers Campbell Young Associates, casting director David Grindrod, dialect coach Nick Trumble, voice coach Charlie Hughes D’Aeth, associate director Jamie Manton, associate set designer Verity Sadler, associate choreographer Ashley Andrews, associate lighting designer Luca Panetta, associate sound designer Jonas Roebuck, associate music director Natalie Pound and staff director Jennifer Lane Baker.