In March 2020 my short story The Wicker Husband emerged as a stage musical at The Watermill Theatre in Newbury. It opened on 12th March, garnered two five-star reviews from What's On Stage and The Spy In The Stalls as well a four-star review in The Times - before promptly closing on the 18th due to lockdown.
Watch this space...
The Watermill Theatre presents
THE WICKER HUSBAND
Book by Rhys Jennings
Music and lyrics by Darren Clark
Based on an original short story by Ursula Wills-Jones
Thursday 12 March 2020 to Sat 4 April 2020
‘Once upon a withy on the edge of a deep damp swamp, nestled in the arms of a winding river, stood a pretty little town…’
A folk-inspired new musical, The Wicker Husband tells the timeless tale of the outsider.
Ostracised by the shallow townsfolk because she doesn’t fit in, the Ugly Girl becomes the envy of her neighbours when the mysterious Old Basketmaker makes her a strong and loving husband woven from living wicker. As bitter rivalry and jealousy threaten to tear the community apart, the townsfolk embark on a cruel and destructive plan. Will the Ugly Girl’s happiness be ruined forever?
The Wicker Husband was the winner of the inaugural MTI Stiles + Drewe Mentorship Award in 2016 celebrating new British musical theatre writers and was included in the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s 30th Annual Festival of New Musicals in New York.
Watch this space...
The Watermill Theatre presents
THE WICKER HUSBAND
Book by Rhys Jennings
Music and lyrics by Darren Clark
Based on an original short story by Ursula Wills-Jones
Thursday 12 March 2020 to Sat 4 April 2020
‘Once upon a withy on the edge of a deep damp swamp, nestled in the arms of a winding river, stood a pretty little town…’
A folk-inspired new musical, The Wicker Husband tells the timeless tale of the outsider.
Ostracised by the shallow townsfolk because she doesn’t fit in, the Ugly Girl becomes the envy of her neighbours when the mysterious Old Basketmaker makes her a strong and loving husband woven from living wicker. As bitter rivalry and jealousy threaten to tear the community apart, the townsfolk embark on a cruel and destructive plan. Will the Ugly Girl’s happiness be ruined forever?
The Wicker Husband was the winner of the inaugural MTI Stiles + Drewe Mentorship Award in 2016 celebrating new British musical theatre writers and was included in the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s 30th Annual Festival of New Musicals in New York.
