Vishnu’s Got My Back – The Pride Special

Vishnu’s Got My Back – The Pride Special at Tom Thumb Theatre

25-08-25

A trailblazing queer solo musical returns to its roots in Margate this August as Vishnu’s Got My Back – The Pride Special plays two performances at the Tom Thumb Theatre on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 August.

Written and performed by Ash Mukherjee, with direction, dramaturgy and additional material by Jon Edgley Bond, the show journeys from the backstreets of postcolonial Kolkata to the queer clubs of London. Drawing on the traditions of British music hall, Indian classical dance and Broadway showmanship, it unpacks the contradictions of family, society and culture while reclaiming queer joy through the transformative power of musical theatre.

For this special Pride edition, the piece includes a newly created scene where a painful coming-out is transformed into a moment of truth and resilience. It is a reminder that Pride is not about permission but about presence, told with both tenderness and fire. The show also shines a light on the silence around homophobia and transphobia, addressing what happens when institutions and families turn away from cruelty. Yet it remains celebratory, honouring the resilience of queer people who have had to flee, fight or shapeshift to survive, and the joy it takes to keep moving forward.

Vishnu’s Got My Back is deeply personal yet universal, cutting across cultures and generations. The music, dance and storytelling come together in ways that are genre-defying. The influences of music hall, Bharatanatyam, stand-up and beat poetry create something wholly original, with a tone that is as playful as it is poignant.

Ash Mukherjee brings their own lived experience to the piece, having worked across stage, screen and music in projects ranging from Michael Jackson’s This Is It at the O2 Arena, choreography for So You Think You Can Dance UK, acting roles in House of the Dragon and The Eternals, and stage work including Will for TNT. Described by Dance Europe as “no greater Indian dancer in Great Britain,” Mukherjee’s solo performance blends virtuosity with vulnerability.

Alongside Mukherjee, the creative team includes director and dramaturg Jon Edgley Bond, and music director Tom Guest. The project was originally developed at Tom Thumb Theatre and commissioned by Sampad Arts for Shout Festival before premiering at Birmingham Royal Conservatoire. Its return to Margate marks a full circle moment for the piece under new venue leadership.

Allyson Morgan Jones, the new director of Tom Thumb Theatre, said: “Programming Vishnu’s Got My Back felt like the perfect way to begin this new chapter. The show speaks with honesty, humour and resilience and gives voice to experiences often left at the margins. I’m thrilled to bring it back home for Pride.”

Vishnu’s Got My Back – The Pride Special plays Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate, on 29 and 30 August at 7.30pm. Tickets are available now at the official site HERE. 
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