the beat of our hearts
the beat of our hearts
On this page you can find resources associated with The Beat of Our Hearts. Watch the play for free via the YouTube link below; purchase the playscript from Salamander Street; and read our project report, which describes what happened in the project and offers some reflections on the process and the audience feedback.
The Beat of our Hearts by Natalie McGrath premiered at Exeter Northcott Theatre between 3-5 February 2022. A recording of one of the performances can be viewed below, with optional closed captions. If you or your organisation would like to arrange a public film screening, please get in touch.
You can order copies of the playscript from the publisher, Salamander Street, here.
(Please note: if you are a bookseller, we would be keen for you to stock the play. The Beat of Our Hearts (ISBN: 9781914228636) is published by Salamander Street, who are distributed by Ingram. The book is available through Gardners or your usual wholesalers.)
Our illustrated project report describes our arts-research collaboration process and the various stages of
engagement with participants, partners, and communities. We describe some of our key achievements, outputs and outcomes, and reflect on the impact of the project on LGBTQIA+ people, organisations, and activism in the South West. We also suggest some next steps and recommendations for future LGBTQIA+/arts-research collaborations, particularly partnerships between universities and theatres. Please click here to view/download a PDF, or click here to view an interactive flipbook of the report.
This is a striking new collection of writing and artwork, celebrating the proud, personal, and diverse voices of LGBTQ+ people across Wales. Inspired by Natalie McGrath’s The Beat of Our Hearts, the free anthology brings together stories, poems, and reflections on love, loneliness, identity, and belonging in Welsh communities.
The collection is available to read online here.
The project launched at the Museum of Cardiff in February 2025 with a screening of McGrath’s play, followed by a writing workshop led by Welsh LGBTQ+ historian Norena Shopland. Contributors were invited to reflect on how the play’s themes resonated with their own lives, particularly in rural and coastal areas of Wales where queer voices are often less visible.