Philippa Hogg, Keshini Misha and Eve de Leon Allen in rehearsal for new play with music Blood Harmony
Casting has been announced for the world premiere of new play with music Blood Harmony. Inspired by and featuring the music of acclaimed indie folk trio The Staves, the exploration of love, loss and legacy has been created by writer Matthew Bulgo and co-directed by Jonnie Riordan and Jess Williams.
Riordan and Williams will direct Eve de Leon Allen (The House With Chicken Legs, HOME Manchester, Indecent Proposal, Southwark Playhouse) as Chloe, Keshini Misha ( The House With Chicken Legs, HOME Manchester, The Country Girls, Chichester Theatre) as Maia and Philippa Hogg (Peter Pan, National Theatre/Bristol Old Vic, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Southwark Playhouse) as Anna.
Presented by award-winning theatre company ThickSkin and Lawrence Batley Theatre, the production which is co-produced with Watford Palace Theatre and Wales Millennium Centre and supported by The Lowry, is due to open at The Lowry from 10-18 June 2022. The production will then visit The Dukes in Lancaster (24-25 June) and the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield (28 June-2 July). A second tour will follow in 2023.
Commenting on the production, Neil Bettles, co-founder and artistic director of ThickSkin, said: “Each production we make at ThickSkin has to challenge us and provide new learning for our team. We are really excited about the potential of Blood Harmony as this is the first ThickSkin production to feature live singing and a collaboration with a well-known band. Not only is it a beautiful and emotional script but it is wrapped in the gorgeous sounds of The Staves. It is our first venture into new musical theatre and an exciting time for the company as we work with these really exceptional artists.”
Laura Mallows, co-founder and executive director of ThickSkin, added: “It’s brilliant that this project has attracted some exciting new partnerships for ThickSkin. It’s great knowing the show will have an onward life when it goes to Cardiff and Watford next year and we’re building more tour dates off the back of that. During the pandemic we stayed busy making work for alternate spaces, but we’re thrilled that Blood Harmony marks our return to the stage.”
New arrangements of The Staves’ music by the production’s musical director Kate Marlais are woven through the show which also features an original song written exclusively for the production by The Staves.
The creative team also includes designer Hayley Grindle, sound designer Charlotte Barber and lighting designer Charly Dunford.
Angela Thomas
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