The Mayor of Casterbridge – a musical interpretation.

Performed by Shoreham Singers-by-Sea, written and conducted by Mike Hatchard

As a fitting literary and musical start to our annual festival, our community choir and their conductor Mike Hatchard will perform a musical inspired by Thomas Hardy’s most celebrated novel: The Mayor of Casterbridge.

The musical was first written by Mike for the Ad Hoc Musical Society and performed at the Norcott Theatre, The Secombe Centre and the Edinburgh Festival (George Square Theatre) receiving glowing reviews and making the finals of the Vivien Ellis Prize. Following their successful recent concerts, including a tribute to their founder, Herbie Flowers, the choir is looking forward to this exciting new venture.

The performance will be accompanied by top-class musicians and tells the tragic tale of the rise and fall of Michael Henchard: “The Life and Death of a Man of Character.” Although based in Hardy’s fictional Wessex rather than Sussex there is a local connection; the book was turned into one of the earliest silent movies and was filmed in Shoreham with Thomas Hardy’s approval and collaboration – more information on this here:

https://www.brightonhistory.org.uk/film/films/films_made_in_shoreham.html

Tickets are £15/10 U19 or low income (benefits or pension credit) and available from www.shorehamwordfest.com/whats-on