24 Jul Introducing A New British Musical, The Homefront
The new production of Miss Saigon shows us just how incredible – and popular – a well executed musical revival can be. But whilst there is no denying that the old favourites can offer a great night out, there are murmurings in stagey circles that there’s not enough new writing coming through. We’ve had Broadway transfers, off-Broadway transfers, numerous revivals and musical after musical twisting popular songs into a theatrical presentation. Amongst the comings and goings of London theatres, new British musicals seem to be rarer than a spare seat at The Book of Mormon. To find one that is cerebrally engaging, that challenges British attitudes and questions life in London is, well, unheard of.
So here’s some great news; John Kristian’s The Homefront is coming to the Union Theatre. And in case you hadn’t guessed, it’s an original British musical.
The show was written by Kristian after he became homeless for a short period in 2013, when his time on the streets inspired him to share the stories of the many people he met. We follow the fortunes of three homeless men living in London; sharing their stories of day to day life, seeing the inside of a jail cell for the wrong reasons, facing fears, experiencing tragedy and coming to terms with their fate. Each of these homeless men are at different stages of their journey, but their stories bring them together, and, in turn, also tear them apart.
“I found a community that I never knew existed and saw first-hand the lengths to which homeless people go to keep themselves alive.” – John Kristian, writer
Aside from inspiring a fresh, exciting composition, Kristian’s time on the street allowed him to see parts of London hidden from plain sight and to meet people invisible to the public eye. To expose this, and bring it to life on stage, his real recorded conversations are featured within the text of the performance. From doctors to students, and those struggling with their vices, the stories of the people of the street motivated Kristian to create a challenging piece of theatre that would show the London public what life is like on The Homefront.
As well as writing, John Kristian is a co-founder of the Fairground Theatre Company, an organisation looking to develop the work of new British musical theatre writers. Let’s hope that this coupling of such interesting and compelling projects finds it’s audience, and makes a mark on the theatres, and minds, of London.
Catch the short run of The Homefront, presented by the Fairground Theatre Company in association with the Union Theatre, between 6th August and 9th August. Tickets, priced at £15 (concessions £10) are on sale now at the Union.
Tickets and information: uniontheatre.biz
For more about the Fairground Theatre Company: fairgroundtheatre.com
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