We chat to the writers of Mischief's first musical comedy, Thespians: Greece The Musical. Rewrite history with Jonathan Sayer and Ed Zanders as they explain how a musical came to be and what audiences can expect on their visit to Ancient Greece. 534 BC.
Regular Bleeding Cool readers will know just what a fan of the Mischief Theatre I am. They are the creators of The Play That Goes Wrong and its many, many spinoffs, Groan-Ups, A Comedy About A Bank Robbery, A Comedy About Spies, and once a personal performance of Peter Pan Goes Wrong for me and me alone.
But they've only really gone for musical comedy in their improvised shows, such as Mischief Movie Night. And those, they just make up on the spot. This year, they are doing it properly with Thespians, a new musical comedy about the very first actors in Ancient Greece. And rather than debuting in the West End as they have done in recent decades, they are going back to their Play That Goes Wrong roots with small theatres.
And around the UK. I am sure it will come to the West End in due course… but I have my tickets booked for Guildford in the summer.
From Mischief Theatre PR Written by Jonathan Sayer, co-writer of The Play That Goes Wrong, Peter Pan Goes Wrong and The Comedy About A Bank Robbery, and Ed Zanders, musical director of Mischief Movie Night, Thespians 'transports the audience back to 534 BC, where, on Greece's smallest island, a brave band of bards is battling to avoid defeat in a nationwide prayer competition set up by a thin-skinned tyrant. The odds couldn't be higher – the loser faces the death sentence, and things are not looking good for the islanders… until… Thespis accidentally invents acting, leading to the world's first play and the birth of theatre as we know it!
' From Mischief Theatre PR I mean, that is basically what happened. Though maybe with fewer rhymes. And now we have the cast… and right off the bat, I am a big fan of Allie Dart… Okay, this is going to be good. I am glad I bought my ticket when I did.
Allie Dart as Rhapsodes/Dance Captain Ashley Tucker and Baskerville – Vienna's English Theatre) as part of the ensemble Claire-Marie Hall as Poly Curtis Patrick as part of the ensemble James Spence as Thespis Josh Patel-Foster as part of the ensemble Luke Latchman as Atlas Marc Pickering as Adonis; Matt Cavendish as Bard Mia Jerome as Melampus Rhys Taylor as The Tyrant.
And the crew: Director – Robyn Grant Designer – Jasmine Swan Choreographer – Melody Sinclair-Marsh Lighting designer – David Howe Sound designer – Nick Lodge Musical director – Ben Smith Associate director – Joe Allen Casting directors Lucy Jenkins CDG and Sooki McShane CDG Executive producer Henry Lewis.
Director Robyn Grant says 'I'm absolutely thrilled to be heading into rehearsals with such a brilliant cast and creative team. It's a real joy to be directing Mischief's first musical, and I can't wait to start building something playful, ambitious, and full of surprises together. With a company this strong, it feels like we're in very safe hands – and ready to take on the small matter of reinventing the origins of theatre.
' Writer Jonathan Sayer says, 'I can't wait for rehearsals to start! I'm so excited about our cast, they're absolutely brilliant, and it's going to be a joy to see the characters and the songs brought to life.
' And here's where you'll find it… COLCHESTER MERCURY SAT 9 – SAT 23 MAY BATH THEATRE ROYAL TUE 26 – SAT 30 MAY SWINDON WYVERN THEATRE TUE 2 – SAT 6 JUNE GUILDFORD – WEEK 1. YVONNE ARNAUD TUE 9 – SAT 13 JUNE CHELTENHAM EVERYMAN THEATRE TUE 16 – SAT 20 JUNE CARDIFF TUE 23 – SAT 27 JUNE GUILDFORD – WEEK 2 YVONNE ARNAUD TUE 30 JUNE – SAT 4 JULY MANCHESTER HOME TUE 7 – SAT 18 JULY
Ashley Tucker Ben Smith Claire-Marie Hall Curtis Patrick David Howe Ed Zanders Goes Wrong Henry Lewis James Spence Jasmine Swan Joe Allen Jonathan Sayer Josh Patel-Foster Lucy Jenkins Luke Latchman Marc Pickering Matt Cavendish Melody Sinclair-Marsh Mia Jerome Mischief Theatre Nick Lodge Play That Goes Wrong Rhys Taylor Robyn Grant Sooki Mcshane Theatre Thespians
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