“THERE’S NO FAULT IN LOVING, NO CALL FOR SHAME. EVERYONE’S HEART DOES EXACTLY THE SAME. AND ONCE YOU BELIEVE THAT, YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO SAY: I LOVE WHO I LOVE WHO I LOVE. THEN JUST GO AND LOVE WHO YOU LOVE”
by Newsdesk | 4th July 2013
Don’t miss your chance to see the Flaherty and Ahrens gay musical A Man of No Importance at the Bridewell Theatre this July — the first time the show has been staged in central London since its UK premiere at the Union Theatre and Arts Theatre in 2009/10.
This charming, coming out backstage musical from the award-winning writers of Ragtime and My Favorite Year is set in Dublin in 1964. It follows the story of bus conductor and Oscar Wilde fan Alfie Byrne on his journey to self discovery, sexual fulfilment and the truth that you “just have to love who you love.”
Alfie has ambitions to direct a production of Wilde’s “salacious” drama Salome, despite the objections at St Imelda’s, where his amateur theatre group is based. When a newcomer to town, Adele, joins his passengers, he realises he has the right person for the title role and assembles his cast.
Meanwhile Alfie’s sister Lily mistakes his interest in Adele as romantic — she longs to have him off her hands so she can marry. Little does Lily realise that Alfie’s love “dare not speak its name” and the object of his affections is a young bus driver Robbie.
While Wilde ended up in jail for gross indecency, Alfie’s crush on Robbie remains unrequited and, as opening night draws near, secrets spill out which threaten to shake this little community to its core and force Alfie to finally confront his sexuality. But camaraderie and the redeeming power of theatre offer a thread of hope in this story of friendship, forbidden love and finding our place in the world.
"The show is all about being who you are, and being allowed to be who you are. Basically it's a backstage coming out musical," says director Matt Gould.
"When I watched the film on which this musical is based I was very moved by this lovable man who is constrained by the period he is living in and society’s values and beliefs. Alfie just wants to be happy – to be allowed to be who he is and to be accepted for who he is.
"Since the movie of A Man of No Importance, society has moved on immensely into a more tolerant and understanding world. But there are plenty of places and plenty of people who still don’t really accept that people should be allowed to be who they are. A Man Of No Importance shows that there is no harm in allowing people to be who they are, and allowing them to love who they love."
In a special message to the company, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Terrence McNally said, “Here in the States, where our Supreme Court has recently made two momentous rulings on gay rights and gay marriage, the story of Alfie Byrne seems to resonate more than ever. We think Mr. Byrne’s time has come!”

With wonderful songs including ‘The Streets of Dublin’, ‘Princess’, ‘Love Who You Love’ and ‘Welcome to the World’, A Man of No Importance is a great night out for any fan of musical theatre.
The teaser trailer for the show can be found at http://youtu.be/xr5jx3dgz38.
Full information can be found at www.sedos.co.uk/2013/amanofnoimportance.htm.
A Man of No Importance is staged by leading amateur company Sedos, which is the resident theatre company at the Bridewell Theatre.
In 2012, Gay Times described Sedos as “a well-established amateur company who strive to produce theatre which can stand shoulder to shoulder with professional productions.”
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