Gay's the Word: Musical in Development
Book & Lyrics: Brian Mullin & Adam Zmith / Music & Lyrics: Finlay Henderson & Tom Rasmussen
When queer stories are under siege, a small bookshop stands up for its identity, freedom and pride…
A collage created by Luann Morris in our 2025 online community workshop.
The Story
In 1984, long before the internet, LGTBQ+ people across the UK had just one window to a different life: the catalogue of Gay’s The Word, Britain’s trailblazing gay and lesbian bookshop. Idealistic activists Amanda, John and Greg run the shop as a safe space to find family and share a sense of pride.
But when HM Customs raids their shelves, branding their books ‘obscene’, the booksellers could be jailed and the shop shuttered forever. Queer stories made this community strong. But are the book lovers strong enough to fight the state and win?
The Journey So Far
Our musical began its life 40 years on from the events that inspired it. With support from the School of Advanced Study, we began researching this vital history and presented an initial concept sharing in November 2024.
The campaign to save Gay’s the Word and challenge state censorship is a story of national significance. We’ve been developing our musical nationally, taking this history to communities of LGBTQ+ readers across Britain in 2025. We gathered their creative responses and fed their feelings back into the script and songs.
Morgan Rhys Phillips & Fanta Barrie in our 2024 concept sharing.
Some of the bookshop directors during the 1984 campaign.
A collage by Jake & Charlie from our 2025 community workshop in Stanley, County Durham.
‘Listen to the music, let the rhythm change your life…’
In 1984, both music and politics were radical. Innovations in music technology ushered in new synthesised sounds and gay clubs blasted the Pet Shop Boys, Adam Ant and Jimmy Somerville. Our musical lives in this world of nascent synth sounds, protest lyrics and wailing falsetto. Our songs are rooted in the underground, rebellious spirit of our activist heroes, the booksellers. Here are two samples:
