For Georgy Jamieson's Theatre and Arts show on BBC Radio Suffolk Jon Wright chatted to three of the cast of the Ballad of Maria Marten about the play and the issues it raises.

Listen to the whole programm on BBC sounds here
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p09t28rw

Find out more about the show here
mariamarten.com

BBC Radio Suffolk's Jon wright chats to the cast of Ballad of Maria Marten

Beth Flintoff, Becca Chadder and Naz talk to Jon Wright as part of BBC Radio Suffolk's breakfast programme with Mark Murphy.  Listen to the whole programme here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p09t28x1 (we are 1hr 43 in)

And find out more about the show here
mariamarten.com

BREAKFAST NEWS PIECE ON BALLAD OF MARIA MARTEN

Jon wright talks to Naz one of the participants in the creative writing sessions from the Lighthouse group.  Their experience and stories helped to shape the way writer Beth Flintoff developed her female led version of The Ballad of Maria Marten.

Image detail from Mandy's Green Umbrella and the Cherries.  This image by another participant from the Lighthouse group.

To read more of the Lighthouse writings and Naz's story in full see
https://www.mariamarten.com/working-with-the-lighthouse-project

For more about the show see
mariamarten.com

To listen to the mid morning show in full on BBC Radio Suffolk
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09t28yf

BETH & NAZ on the mid morning show, BBC Radio Suffolk

Survivor by Bethan Nash is part of our Broadside Challenge.

Beth is an actor, singer and voice over artist.  She plays Theresa Havers in the stage version of The Ballad of Maria Marten, and you can find out more about her here http://www.bethannash.co.uk/ 

Beth chose to set a poem called Survivor, written by one of the women from the Next Chapter workshops (see mariamarten.com to read all the poems)

The Broadside Challenge

We have been touring the UK wih our production of The Ballad of Maria Marten.  In developing the original production (then called Polstead)  we worked with an incredible group of women who have all survived domestic abuse. Their insight helped the creative team, and especially Beth,  understand Maria’s story, her journey.  This year our writer Beth returned to work with two new group of women, one in Colchester with Next Chapter and one in Ipswich with Lighthouse.

The participants words reminded us that one of the reasons we know Maria’s story is through the folk song (The Suffolk Tragedy / The Murder of Maria Marten).  That songs origins were as Broadside Ballad – sold on street corners by Ballad sellers who would often fit the words to a tune they already knew or made up on the spot.

So we set five contemporary singer songwriters a Broadside Challenge.  We gave them the words you can read at our website mariamarten.com and asked them to set them to music, to create as it were new broadside ballads

These beautiful, haunting and heartfelt tracks are the result of that challenge.

Broadside Ballads

Survivor by Bethan Nash

Lighthouse Women by Victoria Bourne is part of our Broadside Challenge.

Victoria - a performer, musician and composer - from Bristol used words from across the across the project to create this haunting but hopeful track.  Find out more about Victoria at https://www.victoriabourne.com/

The Broadside Challenge

We have been touring the UK wih our production of The Ballad of Maria Marten.  In developing the original production (then called Polstead)  we worked with an incredible group of women who have all survived domestic abuse. Their insight helped the creative team, and especially Beth,  understand Maria’s story, her journey.  This year our writer Beth returned to work with two new group of women, one in Colchester with Next Chapter and one in Ipswich with Lighthouse.

The participants words reminded us that one of the reasons we know Maria’s story is through the folk song (The Suffolk Tragedy / The Murder of Maria Marten).  That songs origins were as Broadside Ballad – sold on street corners by Ballad sellers who would often fit the words to a tune they already knew or made up on the spot.

So we set five contemporary singer songwriters a Broadside Challenge.  We gave them the words you can read at our website mariamarten.com and asked them to set them to music, to create as it were new broadside ballads

Victoria's track is one of the results of that challenge.

Lighthouse Women by Victoria Bourne

Whilst the Atom and Luna team were in Leeds Murray and Matthew joined BBC Radio Leeds Gayle Lofthouse for a chat about The Chronicles of Atom and Luna - oh and Murray reads the Yorkshire Earthquake

Murray Matthew Gayle

As part of the development of a new piece of theatre about 'Bawdy but British' Douglas Byng and the 'commedian commedians wanted to be' Mrs Shufflewick the team have been exploring some of Dougie and Rex (Shuff) material.

Here Kinny sings Miss Otis Regrets - a song written by Cole Porter which Douglas was the first to sing in the cabaret revue Hey Diddle Diddle.

Do follow the development of Shuff and Byng at our free sub stack https://open.substack.com/pub/matthewlinley1/p/introducing-shuff-and-byng?r=53jcxo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Miss Otis Regrets (recorded live during a visit to The Out House in Colchester)

Sung by our Dougie Byng - Kinny Gardner and shared with the creative team as part of our research into Shuff and Byng project (exploring the lives, legacy and material of two giants of female impersonation - Dougie Byng and Mrs Shufflewick (Rex Jameson).  

For more information on Shuff & Byng see https://matthewlinley1.substack.com/

Drag Queen Heaven is from a musical TOBY JAMES COLLINS wrote called 'Boys in the Bar' in which I sashayed the role of Anna Conda.

Really a rather lovely song. Toby's happy for it to be shared in connection to the Shuff & Byng project....

(Photo of Kinny Gardner comes from Birds of Paradise Theatre, Blanche and Butch R&D.  Used with permission - thank you!)

Drag Queen Heaven by Toby James Collins

Two short extracts from the forthcoming album / audio book version of Murray Lachlan Young's The Mystery of Raddlesham Mumps with music by Arun Ghosh.

The album will be released in line with the stage/live performance in April 2019, however advance copies are available through this crowdfunding site https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/the-mystery-of-the-raddlesham-mump until Dec 5th

The Mystery of Raddlesham Mumps

The Mystery Of Raddlesham Mumps (two extracts from Act One)

Sushil Chudasama and Maria Felix Vas from BBC Radio Lancaster talk to Arun Ghosh and Fabric Lenny about Stitch Brothers Patchwork Wonders

BBC RADIO LANCASTER INTERVIEWS THE STITCH BROTHERS

Sit back, light a candle, draw the curtains and on your best speakers or headphones enjoy  the studio recording of THE MYSTERY OF THE RADDLESHAM MUMPS (raddleshammumps.co.uk)

written and performed by MURRAY LACHLAN YOUNG
music by ARUN GHOSH

Celebrated poet and broadcaster MURRAY LACHLAN YOUNG (Radio 4, Radio 2 & BBC 6 Music poet in residence) tells this thrilling new story perfect for audiences young and old.

When 7 year old Crispin inherits his ancestral home - the Raddlesham Mumps - he finds himself alone in a crumbling house with only a creepy butler for company.  And when that butler begins to tell him about the bizarre and hilarious deaths of his ancestors the story takes flights on darkly comic wings!

'Fearsome and funny' Michael Rosen
'A gloriously gothic tale' Colchester Chronicle
'10 out of 10' The Guardian

During this period of national isolation, and with the live tour of The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps on hold, we didnt want to leave you our audience with nothing.  So please do listen as much as you like to this deliciously dark story, share with friends and tell us what you think.

And if you like it
- why not buy the book with its beautiful illustrations available here https://scotlandstreetpress.com/product/mystery-of-the-raddlesham-mumps/
- or buy some more of Arun Ghosh's incredible music, available here
https://arunghosh.bandcamp.com/
-or check out the interactive prequel to The Raddlesham Mumps available to download for free from Google Play store here
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.YourCompany.RaddleshamMumps&hl=en

Matthew Linley

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