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Special Message from Rob Inglis, Producer.
A one hour version of "Regent's Canal" -a folk opera will be performed at Camden Lock Interchange Basement on Thursday 20th September. THIS IS THE FIRST PERFORMANCE EVER TO BE PRESENTED IN THE INTERCHANGE BASEMENT. IT IS A VERY LONG SPACE WITH A MAGNIFICENT ACOUSTIC. Join the cast at 6.45 as they sing briefly at the Chalk Farm Road end of Camden Lock Place (the main entrance to the market). Then walk with the cast up Camden Lock Place into the Interchange Basement. Seating will be limited to those young or old who need it. Top hats will be passed around for donations after the performance. Don't miss this unique experience! |
Itinerary
| 13th July. 7.30pm | London Canal Museum. Wharfdale Road, N1 9RT: Special preview to mark the 200th anniversary of Royal Assent for the Regent’s Canal Bill. |
| 31st August. 7.30pm | King’s Place, York Way, N1 9GU |
| 2nd September. | Angel Canal Festival, around City Road Lock, N1 8JX - daytime performances |
| 5th and 6th September. 7.30pm | Rosemary Branch Theatre, 2 Shepperton Road, N1 3DT |
| 7th September. 7.30pm | London Canal Museum. Wharfdale Road, N1 9RT: |
| 9th September. 3pm | The Constitution pub, 42 St Pancras Way, beside Regent’s Canal, NW1 0QT |
| 13th September. 7:30pm | London Irish Centre, Camden Square, NW1 9XB |
| 16th September. 7pm | Camley Street Natural Park, Camley Street, N1C 4PW (promenade) |
| 20th September. 7pm | Camden Lock Interchange Basement, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 7BX (promenade) |
| 23rd September. 3pm | Mile End Art Park, Grove Road, E3 4QY (free, promenade) |
| 27th September. 3pm | (Regrettably, the performance at Edward Square has been cancelled) |
| 29th September. 4pm |
Somers Town Community Centre, 150 Ossulston Street, NW1 1EE Note - the date has changed from 28th to 29th September. The time has been altered too. |
Note - for admission charges and booking details please visit http://regentscanalafolkopera.org.uk/performances/
"Regent's Canal" – a folk operaLondon TourCelebrating 200 years since work commenced on building the canal in 1812 |
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Musical Flying Squad and London Irish Theatre will tour "Regent’s Canal" – a folk opera during
August-September 2012, specially written to celebrate two hundred years since the start of construction
on the Regent’s Canal.
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Musical Flying Squad has been dramatising London history since 2003 and London Irish Theatre have
been dramatising Irish history since 2008. Our two theatre companies have combined for this production
to do justice to both the Regent’s Canal Company and the mainly Irish navvies who built the canal. We
will be performing in twelve venues adjacent to the canal. Script and songs are by Rob Inglis, musical
arrangements are by Bob Stuckey and direction is by John Dunne.
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Characters portrayed include Thomas Homer, who proposed the canal and later absconded with the
funds; John Nash, for whom the canal was an embellishment to his design for Regent’s Park and the
terraces sweeping south; James Morgan, Nash’s architectural assistant, suddenly promoted to canal
engineer; and William Agar, skilled in law and aggressively opposed to the canal. Also portrayed are
the Prince Regent, who was important for his support for Nash, but so unpopular at the time that some
MPs and Lords were opposed to the Canal Bill because it bore his name; Mrs John Nash, the Prince’s
former mistress; and directors of the Regent’s Canal Company, notably Sir Thomas Bernard and Colonel
Drinkwater, who navigated the company through harsh financial adversity to successful completion
in 1820.
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The production aims to increase the understanding of an often mis-represented and unsung group, the
Irish navvies who built the canal.
“We are from the Western coast, Sligo, Galway, Clare and Mayo With fierce winds and poor soil, and steep hills strewn with stones Just throw caution to the wind, dig canals and post some money Let’s drink another pint, ‘cause this work’s riskier than the Army”. In the Somers Town Coffeehouse the navvies are downcast after an accident at Chalk Farm when a bank collapsed on ten of their colleagues. How can they convert their energy from pick and shovel to a job less demanding physically before the work wears them out? How might they overcome illiteracy, inexperience in technical matters and prejudice towards them of the resident population so that they can take their place with their womenfolk in the London community? They take steps to achieve these aims. |
For information:
Contact Rob Inglis, Producer, tel: 020 7387 4942, email: robinglis@artsxchange.co or
John Dunne, Director, tel: 07981 851554, email: info@londonirishtheatre.com
Click below to hear some music clips:-
ACanalroundRegentsPark.mp3
OTheRegentsCanal.mp3
See also the following websites
http://regentscanalafolkopera.org.uk/
musicalflyingsquad.org.uk/