This will be a version adapted by the UK National Theatre Director Peter Hall of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” with music, to be staged in Eastbourne in late October.
The play, with lyrics by Adrian Mitchell and music by Richard Peaslee, was first performed at the UK National Theatre in 1984, and is very faithful to the book. The songs contrast with, and complement, the rapidly moving sequence of events. However this is very much a play for actors who can sing, rather than singers who can act. It is definitely not the usual musical theatre. There are 30 songs in all, many very short solo songs. The ensemble will join in at times with many of the solo songs, and there are about 10 ensemble songs.
I have the piano score, though a keyboard would enable us to add some interesting sounds as well for some of the songs.
Some of the numbers can be heard in an American ensemble version at http://www.richardpeaslee.com/musicaltheatre.html though this doesn’t include some of my favourites.
Rehearsals are Tues, Thurs nights and Sunday afternoons at Muritai School Hall, Muritai Road, Eastbourne. The musical director won’t be required at all rehearsals. I usually try and work with subsets of actors; not all are called for every rehearsal. Once the actors have learned the music we’d typically use recorded accompaniment for the rehearsals.
Auditions will be on 16 July and we’ll start rehearsals in mid July with 7 performances on 22,23,24 Oct at 7:30 pm, a matinee on Sunday 25th followed by performances on 29,30,31 Oct.