Members of the EF Benson Society and a few specially chosen guests enjoyed a sneak preview of a new musical set in Rye and hopefully coming to a West End theatre near you this year or next.
Mapp & Lucia: The Musical has been written by EF Benson and Rye enthusiasts Kate Garner and Hannah Borno. The preview included 13 of the songs from the show as well as some linking script. It covered events from several of the books and the authors seemed to have captured the spirit and energy of the stories very well.
The performance at the community centre on Conduit Street took place on July 8 and was followed by a question and answer session. The ladies have been working on the music and script for the past year and they expect to finish over the summer. The plan is to organise a staged read-through in October in London for potential producers and investors. Allan Downend, Secretary of the EF Benson society suggested that some of the members might like to attend to show their support, which was greeted with enthusiastic agreement by the audience.
Kate Garner pointed out that a number of musicals set in the 1930s were enjoying a wave of popularity, including the Great Gatsby and 42nd Street. She thought that this would help draw people to Mapp & Lucia: The Musical, even those who were not already familiar with the books.
Photo: Seana Lanigan