It’s A Sin: Songs of Love and Shame

Michael Griffiths creates his own juke box musical by telling us his own gay life story through the songs of the Pet Shop Boys.

As this electronic duo was hitting fame in the late 80s, Griffiths was a lonely, terrified “suburban homo” being bullied at junior school, and then surviving his teens in an average Adelaide suburb called Vale Park.   Now at the piano and on the cusp of 50, he shares this long, rich, sometimes agonising coming out story, backed by just a violin (Julian Ferraretto) and double bass (Dylan Paul).  

His former shame as a gay boy has evolved into an engaging and self-deprecating humour, and a frank intimacy about forging his path, his relationships and early career.

Plus he’s a great singer, especially for lovers of the Pet Shop Boys like me.

With just two other musicians and his articulation honed as a performer in musicals, Griffith strips back these fabulous electro-waves of anthems to fully reveal lyrics which, while tender and so expressive of gay identity, we only experienced in grabs turned up high on the dance floor.  In the time of AIDS the words arguably were disguised; much like the famous duo themselves, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe: reportedly they came out the next decade.

It’s a miracle how Griffiths and Dean Bryant, who also directs, weaves so artfully the snippets of songs and lyrics into landmarks big and small in this gay memoir.  We travel through Griffiths’ pervasive shame (It’s A Sin), betrayal (Can you forgive Her?), liberating love (Love comes Quickly) and its souring (You only tell me you love me when you’re Drunk) and Griffith’s ongoing partnership with his boyhood sweetheart, Daryl. 

Today he even teaches music at his old school in Adelaide, but they have a gay headmaster now.

Martin Portus