Silas Marner
The wonderful tale of the miser, Silas Marner, who only finds solace in the gold he earns from his weaving. The unexpected arrival of an orphaned child transforms his lonely existence, offering him a new purpose and a love that changes both their lives.
An adaptation of George Eliot’s novel, co-written with Bob Eaton, with an original score drawing on the English folk tradition.
Production: Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Composer: Sayan Kent
Musical Direction: Folk music legend John Kirkpatrick
Director: Mark Babych
The Good Companions
Co-written with Bob Eaton, adapted from the novel by J. B. Priestley.
A warm-hearted tale of a struggling theatrical troupe and the unlikely companions who come together to save it, setting off on a journey through 1920s England in search of fortune and a fresh start, with adventures and mishaps along the way.
Commissioned by Peter Cheeseman for the New Vic, Newcastle-under-Lyme, in 1995, and directed by Bob Eaton.
The Good Companions was subsequently produced at:
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry (1998, directed by Bob Eaton)
Theatre by the Lake, Keswick (2002, directed by Ian Forrest)
The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich (2003, directed by Pete Rowe)
Librettos
It Takes a City
An epic modern operetta inspired by the saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’, celebrating community, diversity and individuality amongst families across the world. Drawing on interviews with people across Coventry, I wrote the libretto, weaving their experiences into a narrative set to music by Toby Young.
Commissioned for Armonico Consort and Coventry UK City of Culture, the work premiered at the Royal Albert Hall in 2022.
Awards: Nominated for an Ivor Novello Award (Best Community and Participation Composition, 2022)
Composer: Toby Young
Musical Director: Christopher Monks