Marc Almond and Soft Cell-inspired musical Tainted to be showcased in London

The distinctive songs of Marc Almond and Soft Cell form the basis of new stage musical Tainted which will debut in London with a special public showcase performance later this month.

Featuring a book by Michael McManus and Charlie Ross Mackenzie and songs from every stage of Almond’s career, the show is described as a ‘tale of acceptance, survival and love’.

Tainted has been developed through four workshops and private readings including a full performance of Act I with students from the Guildford School of Acting in February this year.

Directed by Bryan Hodgson, with musical direction by Matt Malone, the two concert performances on 24 October 2018 will be at The Vaults, and will feature a cast of 12 and a live four-piece band.

Commenting on the project which is the subject of an ambitious KickStarter campaign, co-writer McManus said: “Marc Almond is one of the great narrative songwriters of our time and his songs are a perfect fit for contemporary musical theatre.

“Marc’s characteristic themes – exclusion and isolation, disease and desire, neon and sleaze, waifs and strays, passion, acceptance and survival – provide the backbone of this piece. Because we want to pay our actors and musicians – and have to hire a suitable space – even a one-off performance is an expensive business.

“We are therefore 100% reliant on the support of friends, family and colleagues – and, of course, our fellow Marc Almond fans – to make this possible. Our KickStarter campaign still has two weeks to run and every contribution makes a difference.”

Musical director Malone added: “I have been an admirer and fan of Marc Almond since the 1980s. The breadth and variety within his songbook mark him out as one of our finest contemporary songwriters.

“At least 30 songs have been in the score of Tainted at some point and I have transcribed each and every one of them, by ear, from Marc’s own recordings. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege. If, as we all hope we shall, we recruit a suitable producer and take this piece forward to a fully staged production, the songs will then be re-arranged in the styles of each era – the 1940s, the 1970s, the 1980s and contemporary.”

Angela Thomas