Before The Act Podcast

Before The Act Podcast

On 5th June 1988 at the Piccadilly Theatre in London’s West End a remarkable theatrical celebration took place – Before The Act. It showcased the work of lesbian and gay authors, poets, playwrights and composers and was intended to highlight the harmful impact of Section 28 – a notorious piece of legislation which prohibited the ‘promotion of homosexuality‘. For more info and images from the night visit www.beforetheactpodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

July 6, 2020 24 mins

On 5th June 1988  at the Piccadilly Theatre in London’s West End a remarkable theatrical celebration took place – Before The Act. It showcased the work of lesbian and gay authors, poets, playwrights and composers and highlighted the harmful impact of Section 28 – a notorious piece of legislation which prohibited the ‘promotion of homosexuality‘.

Episode 1 uses news and radio clips from the time to explore the homophobic ba...

Mark as Played
Episode 2. As the curtain rises at the Piccadilly Theatre on 5th June 1988 we hear recollections from opening act The Hot Doris Band and Before The Act producer Trina Cornwell. Featuring rare audio clips recorded on the night not only of The Hot Doris Band but also Sheila Hancock, Ian McKellen and Hugh Quarshie, Peggy Ashcroft, Pam St Clement with soap stars from Eastenders and Brookside and a rousing song from Imelda Sta...

Mark as Played
August 5, 2020 27 mins
Episode 3 starts in the bar over interval drinks with Lisa Power who was one of the founding members of Stonewall. As we take our seats for the second half we are treated to the first ever live performance by The Pet Shop Boys and hear from Stephen Fry. Alan Bennett makes a witty coming out speech before Joan Plowright, Juliet Stevenson, Alan Bates, Francesca Annis and Miranda Richardson take to the stage. The curtain falls and we ...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

    True Crime Tonight

    If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.