Julian Harries and Tom Mackley in The Silver Sword, embarking on a UK tour throughout autumn 2015. Picture: Nicola Young
Ian Serraillier’s highly acclaimed and much-loved children’s novel, The Silver Sword, will receive its world stage premiere at Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre from Saturday 26 September to Saturday 3 October before embarking on a UK tour throughout autumn 2015. The brand new production also plays at Birmingham Old Rep from 22–24 October.
Originally written in 1956, The Silver Sword was recently named as one of the top 50 children’s books of all time by The Times. This brand new musical co-production has been adapted for the stage by Susie McKenna and Steve Edis.
The Silver Sword is a heart-warming tale of three children whose determination to become a family again takes them on an incredible adventure to find their father against all the odds. Set in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, the drama follows the Polish Balicki children’s search for safety as Europe is divided up and displaced people return to their homelands.
Along the way, Ruth, Edek and Bronia meet 14 year old Jan – a boy who, years before, had met their father by chance and been given the family’s precious paper knife, affectionately known as the Silver Sword. Jan’s instructions are to show it to the children, should their paths cross, with the message that their father is still alive and headed for Switzerland.
During their adventures they cross paths with people from every nation as well as animals such as Jimpy the cockerel, Bistro the chimpanzee and Ludwig the dog.
This brand new musical adaptation is brought to life by a cast of skilled actor/musicians and features puppetry and visual projections.
The full cast features: Tom Mackley as Jan, Nathan Turner as Joe Wolski/Gypsy Man, Lucy Tregear as Frau Wolff/ Mrs Krause, Julian Harries as Joseph, John O’Mahony as Herr Wolff, Oliver Buckner as Edek, Sue Appleby as Margarit, Rachel Flynn as Ruth and Alex Knox as Adam/Major Hargreaves. Bronia shall be played by various child actors from each venue.
This brand new co-production is presented by the Belgrade Theatre and Sell a Door Theatre Company, whose recent productions include Avenue Q (2014 UK tour), Spring Awakening (2011 UK tour), Seussical (West End) and the highly-acclaimed UK touring production of Alan Bennett’s The History Boys.
Producer David Hutchinson said: “We are thrilled to be working in collaboration with the Belgrade Theatre on producing this exciting new adaptation based on Ian Serraillier’s classic The Silver Sword this autumn. At a timely moment during the First World War centenary years, we tell the story of a family devastated by war, opening in a city that can identify with the desolation that war had both on communities and individual families. I’ve been hoping to work with Susie McKenna and Steven Edis for some time, as a really exciting creative team who have penned an excellent piece of theatre for family audiences. The Silver Sword brings joy, truth, adventure and heart to the stage with a ensemble of top performers and creative – it really will be a treat for all the family.”
The creative team includes: director Susie McKenna, musical director Steve Edis, designer Lotte Collett, lighting designer David W. Kid, sound designer Tom Marshall and puppet designer/maker Scott Broker.
Susie McKenna is an established and versatile writer, director and actress, and is Hackney Empire’s creative director. She writes and directs all the Christmas shows at the Hackney Empire, as well as for the Haringey Shed, Hackney’s Youth musical theatre company. In addition to The Silver Sword, McKenna is developing Hackney v Harlem (a transatlantic show with the Apollo Theatre Harlem), and is writing a series of children’s theatre book and a new version of Dick Whittington for this year’s Hackney Empire panto.
Steven Edis has worked alongside Susie McKenna, supervising the music for the pantomimes at Hackney since 1998. During the past couple of years he has worked as musical supervisor for Ace of Clubs (Union Theatre), as composer for Richard III (Nottingham Playhouse/York Theatre Royal) and for The Captain of Köpenick (NT, Olivier Theatre), as arranger for High Society (National tour), as music consultant for Relative Values (Theatre Royal, Bath, and West End), as performer/improviser for The Still (Improbable Theatre), as conductor/musical director for Rags at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and as arranger/MD for A Chorus of Disapproval (Harold Pinter Theatre), in which he also played the part of Mr Ames.
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