As Park Theatre enters its third year, artistic director Jez Bond has announced its new season of work will include the world premiere of brand new British musical The Buskers Opera by Dougal Irvine, providing a refreshingly innovative take on John Gay’s classic The Beggar’s Opera.
Before touring the country, The Buskers Opera will play at the Park Theatre from 28 April 2016 to 4 June 2016 (press night is 5 May).
It’s London, 2012, the night before the Opening Ceremony. A group of street performers called ‘the 99percenters’ gather in protest against the over-priced corporate games. Among them is Macheath, satirist and ladies’ man, whose razor sharp wit is slashing chunks out of the Mayor’s reputation. Powerful figures are watching. With the ever influential media operating 24/7, capital punishment has found a new method of delivery.
Dougal Irvine trained as a playwright at the Royal Court. His first musical, Departure Lounge, won the MTM award for best music at the Edinburgh Festival, was selected to run at the New York Summer Play Festival, and subsequently received its full London and US premiere productions simultaneously at the Waterloo East Theatre and the Royal George Theatre in Chicago. Most recently Irvine composed Teddy at the Southwark Playhouse. He was also lyricist for Britain’s Got Bhangra (Stratford East/Rifco Arts).
Other current projects include writing music and songs for Roald Dahl’s The Witches at Leicester Curve this Christmas. Directed by Nikolai Foster, the production opens in Hong Kong before playing the Curve (9 December to 10 January 2016) and then embarking on a UK tour. He also wrote the songs for The Snow Queen, playing at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate (25 November to 3 January 2016).
The Buskers Opera is presented by Michael Peavoy, Neil Marcus and Paul Tyrer & Jamie Clark for Buskers Opera Ltd in association with Park Theatre.
Jez Bond says: “At Park Theatre we are committed to presenting world class theatre, and collaborating with the finest existing and emerging talent right in the heart of Finsbury Park. I’m confident that this new season of work will challenge, entertain and stimulate audiences old and new.
Bond continues: “It’s important to all of us here that Park Theatre is accessible to all. We’ve just launched ‘Park Young Patrons’ to encourage more young people to engage with our work, and we’re continually fundraising to keep ticket prices low and to enable us to provide more Creative Learning projects for the community. We’re continually evolving as a building, and this autumn we’ll be improving the ticket buying process with the introduction of a dedicated box office in the foyer.”
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