Nightmare Songs

written and directed by Jeff Clarke
– Opera della Luna and makin projects

The patter songs of Gilbert & Sullivan in one panic-stricken night. When the D’Oyly Carte Opera was at its zenith, it ran two companies which both toured the country for 48 weeks a year, performing all the hits of the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire. Each company had its comedy baritone lead who performed all ten of the “patter roles”, and each patter man had an understudy – who also had to keep all ten roles, and their wordy patter songs, in his head.

On a rainy night in a town in the North of England, the understudy is given a day’s notice that he is ‘on’. A sleepless night ensues, and in the dingy bedroom of his theatrical digs, he tries to rehearse his role – helped, but more often hindered, by one of the other residents of the house – an itinerant variety performer. As the night progresses their discussions take on a more disturbing tone, as the understudy’s rehearsal begins to turn into a true nightmare.

• If you like this you might like: Micky Salberg’s Crystal Ballroom Dance Band (25th April)

Box Office phone numbers:
01227 787787 or 0845 130 1786