Shows H

War breaks out, and John volunteers for the army. The patriotic soldiers soon discover the grim realities of trench warfare. Isaac loses a leg, but Jackson saves his life. Back home, Isaac tells Emily that Jackson wanted to be remembered to her. The rumour is he is now dead. Harry signs up. Tragically, he too is killed at the front. The war over; we move forward to 1920. Isaac is now married. Seth has become a pacifist. For old times sake, John and Emily return to Crossbridge for an outing to the Friendly Society Annual Day. Emily, who is now not well, suggests that they should return to the land. Both have regrets over what has happened in the past but their love has survived. In a pit accident John and two friends are cut off by a roof fall. Seth and the others succeed in their rescue attempt, but John returns home to find that Emily has died. Finally he makes up his mind to do as Emily wanted and return to the land. The story ends as it began, with John seeking work as a hired man. "... a bracing, rugged and exhilarating adaptation of Bragg's novel ... splendidly original music ... a magnificent British achievement." Time Out "... hewing his (Goodall) musical line from Britain's choral traditions with an audacity that is at once thrilling and fearful..." City Limits "Howard Goodall's score is one of the finest I have heard in a British musical in years." Guardian "thoughtful and, on occasions most moving ... That rare thing: a folk opera of our immediate past." Daily Mail "Melvyn Bragg's qualities as a novelist-humanity, idealism and a complex and highly articulate man's understanding of those who are simple and inarticulate-shine out from this musical..." Sunday Telegraph MUSICAL NUMBERS: 1. Crossbridge Dance 2. Fade Away 3. Farewell Song 4. Fill It To the Top 5. Get Up and Go Lad 6. Hear Your Voice 7. I Wouldn't Be the First 8. If I Could 9. It's All Right For You 10. Men Of Stone 11. No Choir of Angels 12. Now For the First Time 13. The Song of the HIred Man 14. War Song 15. So Tell You Children 16. What A Fool I've Been 17. What Would You Say To Your Son? 18. Who Will You Marry Then? 19. Work Song 20. You Never See the Sun THE CAST: - M 19 F5. Extras. Doubling possible John Tallentire Emily Tallentire Seth Tallentire Isaac Tallentire Jackson Pennington Father Pennington May Tallentire Harry Tallentire Sally Wrangham née Edmondson Ted Blacklock farmers and farmworkers, miners, soldiers of the Great War. The SCENES - Various simple settings on an open stage ORCHESTRATION - Bass, Trumpet, Harpsichord, Harp DISCOGRAPHY: Original London Cast - Polydor POLH-18 | First Night SCENE 10

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