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British musicals as a reflection of developing political ideals: 
queer representation and racial diversity 
Rudi S Carson 
Through recent decades, left wing ideals regarding diversity and equality have risen 
significantly. The British populace, overall, becomes increasingly aware and  
accepting of both racial diversity and queer representation. This growing  
acceptance can be seen reflected in musicals presented both in the West End 
and across the nation. The increase of representation is not only proof of a more 
accepting audience but could also be linked causally to this and seen as a form 
of protest. Musicals like Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (henceforth referred to 
as Jamie) and Outlier fulfil this narrative - that they serve both as proof of a more 
accepting public sphere, but also as a form of protest against intolerance. Through 
a performance analysis of both musicals (Jamie through the 2024 UK Tour and 
Outlier through the 2024 West Country Tour, along with media coverage of both), 
this essay seeks to uncover the way that positive progression of British ideals has 
shaped these musicals.  The lens of critical race theory (along with scholastic  
input from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) and queer theory (supported by Sara 
Ahmed and Heather Love) allow for a deeper understanding of the political weight 
of these musicals, and the ways in which they engage in politics of representation. 
It is within Adichie’s TED Talk, “The danger of a single story”, that she coins the 
phrase and expands upon “The Single Story”. Adichie states that to “create a single 
story” is to “show a people as one thing, as only one thing, repeatedly, and that is 
what they become” (Adichie 2009).  
With regards to Outlier, the concept of a single story is largely rejected and fought 
against, with Outlier instead pushing for relatability and connection. Outlier’s 
attempt to engage and relate to the audience reflects Jill Dolan’s explanation of 
‘Communitas’, which she describes as “the moments in a theatre event or a ritual 
in which audiences or participants feel themselves become part of the whole in 
an organic, nearly spiritual way” (2005:11). This provides an interesting framework 
from which to view Outlier, as several performance elements (such as the crowd 
work that occur throughout the piece, or the intimate nature of the performance 
simulated through the house lights remaining on for several sections) scaffold this 
phenomenon of communitas for the audience. One could relate this to Adichie’s 
criticism of a single story that they result in “no possibility of [minorities] being 
similar to [the audience] in any way [...] no possibility of a connection as human 
equals” (2009). Through understanding Dolan’s concept of communitas and how 
Outlier shapes this for the audience, we can see not only the rejection of a single 
story but also the benefit of doing so.  

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