Imagine a queer Versailles where a sapphic swordswoman rubs shoulders with a drag queen duke, and the high-stakes drama of royal court politics collides with an intimate, heartfelt journey toward self-discovery.
That is the vibrant world of Firebrand: A New Musical. Inspired by true historical events, the show follows Julie as she arrives at court seeking justice, only to find an unexpected romance and an unlikely community in the process. At its core, Firebrand tackles an age-old queer struggle: the delicate, dangerous balance between living authentically and the safety of conforming.
Positioned perfectly for fans of Fun Home, La Cage Aux Folles, and Bridgerton, this ambitious project is currently making its mark as a developmental workshop, presenting Act 1 in a semi-staged concert format.
We sat down with writers Merilee Ettia and Robbie Hébert to discuss the historical sparks that ignited the story, the process of bringing a queer historical musical to life, and what audiences can expect from this bold new work.
Firebrand draws inspiration from heavy hitters like Fun Home, La Cage Aux Folles, and Bridgerton. How do you balance the intimate, character-driven emotional core of a show like Fun Home with the lavish, high-camp spectacle of a drag duke in a queer Versailles?
Merilee: I think most great shows have moments of camp and a strong emotional core, because it makes for a well-rounded story and characters. Think of the comedy on “Changing my Major” from Fun Home and the hard-hitting “I Am What I Am” in La Cage. In Firebrand we have a range of queer characters, all with different vulnerabilities and quirks, from Madame, a drag Queen trying to protect her community, to Nico, a snarky baby gay longing for parental approval. These characteristics all come to the surface, but at different points in their journey, giving the show light and shade.
Bringing a historical, sapphic swordswoman and court culture to life requires a very specific sound. What does the musical landscape of Firebrand sound like? Are we listening to contemporary musical theatre, baroque fusion, or something entirely unexpected?
Robbie: Firebrand is definitely a blend of styles. We have our little baroque and choral references, but most of the songs fit better into a contemporary musical theatre canon. Merilee and I have both pulled inspiration from our own musical backgrounds as well as from shows we’ve studied and performed. The score is a blend of jazzy tunes, contemporary ballads, with a tango that references my past as a ballroom dancer, and some dizzying soprano cadenzas (not unlike some of Merilee’s favourite shows).
Robbie: Firebrand is definitely a blend of styles. We have our little baroque and choral references, but most of the songs fit better into a contemporary musical theatre canon. Merilee and I have both pulled inspiration from our own musical backgrounds as well as from shows we’ve studied and performed. The score is a blend of jazzy tunes, contemporary ballads, with a tango that references my past as a ballroom dancer, and some dizzying soprano cadenzas (not unlike some of Merilee’s favourite shows).
Julie enters Versailles seeking justice—a typically rigid, outcome-driven quest. How does entering an unlikely community reshape what justice actually means to her by the end of Act 1?
Merilee: A lot of Julie’s journey is learning to be a part of a community. She has always been alone and doesn’t really understand the idea of unconditional love. Whilst her quest for revenge is well meaning, it ultimately brings harm to others. It is not until she shifts her focus to protecting them that things begin to change for the better.
Robbie: We’ll see in act one how being isolated ends up limiting Julie and damaging both her and her relationships. Which leaves us well set up to see her grow in act 2 as she discovers the strength that she gains from being loved unconditionally as part of a real community.
Drag in a high-stakes royal court carries both theatrical flair and survival mechanics. How did the character of the drag queen duke come together, and how does his presence subvert the typical court drama tropes?
Merilee: Madame is based on a real historical figure so we always wanted to include her. However it wasn’t until we decided to make her a narrator that the show really solidified. The interesting thing about Madame is that whilst she can be savage and a touch cutthroat, she does so in defence of her community. This is an inversion of the typical court drama trope of the power hungry courtiers who are only out for themselves.
Merilee: Madame is based on a real historical figure so we always wanted to include her. However it wasn’t until we decided to make her a narrator that the show really solidified. The interesting thing about Madame is that whilst she can be savage and a touch cutthroat, she does so in defence of her community. This is an inversion of the typical court drama trope of the power hungry courtiers who are only out for themselves.
The core theme of Firebrand is the tug-of-war between living authentically and the safety of conforming. How does a period setting (historical France/Versailles) amplify that struggle in ways that reflect our modern queer experience?
Merilee: Our characters share many common experiences with the modern queer community from struggling with parental disapproval to the joys of flamboyant theatricality. In the historical setting, in which homosexuality was illegal, emphasises the heightened stakes of being queer. Some of our characters genuinely risk their lives by being visible. It is literally life and death. But the stakes for the LGBTQIA+ community today, and especially our trans siblings, are just as high. It is still life and death, but we have the privilege of more visibility and the ability to publicly advocate.
Merilee: Our characters share many common experiences with the modern queer community from struggling with parental disapproval to the joys of flamboyant theatricality. In the historical setting, in which homosexuality was illegal, emphasises the heightened stakes of being queer. Some of our characters genuinely risk their lives by being visible. It is literally life and death. But the stakes for the LGBTQIA+ community today, and especially our trans siblings, are just as high. It is still life and death, but we have the privilege of more visibility and the ability to publicly advocate.
The show is inspired by true events. How closely did you stick to historical records versus leaning into theatrical license to serve the heart of Julie's story?
Merilee: So all of the characters in our show (bar one) are based on real people and we feel like we’ve been really true to the heart of these historical figures. But telling a compelling story that honours them has necessitated some flexibility with the historical record. We combined Julie’s journey with key queer historical events from a similar time period, allowing us to use her as a vehicle to explore the queer experience. Some of the timelines may not add up, but the storytelling does.
Merilee: So all of the characters in our show (bar one) are based on real people and we feel like we’ve been really true to the heart of these historical figures. But telling a compelling story that honours them has necessitated some flexibility with the historical record. We combined Julie’s journey with key queer historical events from a similar time period, allowing us to use her as a vehicle to explore the queer experience. Some of the timelines may not add up, but the storytelling does.
How does your collaboration work in practice?
Robbie: While we don’t have defined roles such as “composer” or “lyricist”, we do very much have a process that plays into our strengths, Merilee often planning for the big picture, the themes, the broadstrokes, and me focusing on the minutiae and the details. The structures of the plot have all developed from thousands of hours of discussion. Many MANY cups of coffee. We’ve written the storyline over and over until we had a version that neither of us could poke holes in. From there, we plot out a scene, I look at the beats of the action, Merilee writes a draft of the song lyrics. Often I’ll talk the scene over and over as the characters, saying potential lines and Merilee will write down the ones she likes.
Robbie: While we don’t have defined roles such as “composer” or “lyricist”, we do very much have a process that plays into our strengths, Merilee often planning for the big picture, the themes, the broadstrokes, and me focusing on the minutiae and the details. The structures of the plot have all developed from thousands of hours of discussion. Many MANY cups of coffee. We’ve written the storyline over and over until we had a version that neither of us could poke holes in. From there, we plot out a scene, I look at the beats of the action, Merilee writes a draft of the song lyrics. Often I’ll talk the scene over and over as the characters, saying potential lines and Merilee will write down the ones she likes.
Where did your work together begin and how did that help shape Firebrand?
Merilee: Robbie and I met at drama school and got stuck in lockdown together for four months. Talk about trial by fire. But the friendship survived and when I began Firebrand as part of my thesis project there was only one person I even considered asking for help. A few months later I took him to lunch and sweettalked him working on the project. We’ve been writing together ever since.
Robbie: Initially Merilee had only written a couple songs, I did some arranging work and helped her to polish them. From there we got to talking about the future of the show and the characters. I started to fall in love with the story just as Merilee had and it’s been a huge honour to build this show with her.
Putting on a semi-staged concert of just Act 1 is a unique step in musical development. What are you specifically hoping to discover or test with a live audience during this developmental workshop?
Robbie: Well, first of all, we want to see how well the show works and if the story and characters are as exciting to the audience as they are to us. Obviously, working on the material for so long, we’ve grown quite attached to the characters. The hope is that an audience will be as taken with them as we are and hopefully our test audiences will be back next year to see how the story ends and how the show grows.
Robbie: Well, first of all, we want to see how well the show works and if the story and characters are as exciting to the audience as they are to us. Obviously, working on the material for so long, we’ve grown quite attached to the characters. The hope is that an audience will be as taken with them as we are and hopefully our test audiences will be back next year to see how the story ends and how the show grows.
What are the hopes for the project going forward?
Merilee: We are in the process of actively seeking producers for the next stage of development which is a workshop of the full production. Eventually we would love the show to have an equity run Off-West End. But ultimately we would love to share our story with as many queer people as possible.
Firebrand: A New Musical runs at The Water Rats from 17th to 19th August 2026. For tickets visit https://camdenfringe.com/events/firebrand-a-new-queer-musical/
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