25/01/2026
Just back from seeing the phenomenal ensemble musical,Sunny Afternoon.
The cast and creative team were outstanding, and there was such a sense of genuine camaraderie and joy emanating from the stage.
If the tour is heading your way, please go - you won’t regret it.
Based on the story of The Kinks, I was fully expecting a great night of music and 1960s nostalgia.
What I didn’t expect was to come away thinking how clearly it reflects the core themes we talk about in DEI work: belonging, authenticity, collaboration, and overcoming external barriers.
Beyond, and perhaps beneath, the music, the story is about a group of young, working-class men from North London who find identity and purpose through creating something together.
Watching the formation of The Kinks, you see that belonging is not about fitting in — it is about finding the people with whom you can build something meaningful.
The theme of authenticity runs throughout. Ray Davies’ songwriting, particularly in songs like I’m Not Like Everybody Else, is rooted in a clear sense of individuality.
The musical does not hide the disagreements, tensions, or personal struggles within the band. Instead, it shows the reality of creative people trying to stay true to themselves while working in a demanding industry.
Collaboration is central to the story. The band only succeeds when they learn how to work together despite strong personalities and creative differences. Shared leadership, conflict, compromise, and trust are all played out on stage in a way that mirrors the dynamics we see in inclusive teams and workplaces.
The show also highlights external challenges. Industry politics, financial pressures, and even a ban on touring in the United States create barriers that sit outside the band’s control. Yet they persist by continuing to create and perform in their own way.
This resilience will feel familiar to many individuals and communities who are trying to thrive in systems that were not originally designed with them in mind.
What stands out most is this: The Kinks did not succeed by conforming to what the industry expected. They succeeded by leaning into what made them different.
Audiences responded to that honesty and individuality.
That, in many ways, is what inclusion looks like in practice. Not removing difference, but creating environments where difference becomes a strength that brings people together.
Sometimes the clearest examples of DEI principles are not found in policies or training materials, but in stories like this — where belonging is built through authenticity, collaboration, and shared purpose.
