Old Members to stage original opera

Exonians James Waterfield (2001, English) and Timothy Burke (2001, Music) will be staging a music theatre double bill as part of the Grimeborn Festival 2010 at the Arcola Theatre in Dalston this August. As well as Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, the pair will be staging Spilt Milk, their own new 30-minute work of music theatre.

Spilt Milk is an original story of a suburban couple, Sue (soprano) and Steve (bass), set in the early 1980s. Sue’s materialistic approach to the world, and idyllic memories of their honeymoon, jar against her dissatisfaction with their lifestyle and relationship in the present. As the piece unfolds the audience learns of a terrible deed that Steve has been driven to by Sue’s neurotic and demanding behaviour. The music draws on late 1970s disco and electro, and borrows elements of flamenco.

An accessible and memorable double bill, both pieces promise to appeal to a wide audience with their fusion of classical and popular styles, and encourage the audience to look under the skin of humanity with an impressive dramatic intensity.

Renard Productions is a newly-launched not-for-profit music theatre company set up by James and Timothy to mount performances of 20th and 21st century music theatre in venues in London and the North of England. Anyone who might be interested in supporting them, or finding out anything else about their activities, should e-mail James or Timothy.

The performances will be on the evenings of Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th August.

Photo by Michael Wharley