After the success of its inaugural season, including the launch production of The Secret Garden and this summer's revival of The Rise & Fall of Little Voice, the new state-of-the-art Barn Theatre in Cirencester concludes its first year with another family-friendly musical; Kirk Jameson's much-anticipated revival of Stiles and Drewe's Just So. Watch the director interview legendary lyricist Anthony Drewe about the show...
After the enormous success of inaugural production The Secret Garden, the Barn presents another much-loved, family musical in an exciting new actor-musician production for its Christmas special. Stiles and Drewe's Just So, inspired by Rudyard Kipling, runs from 5 December 2018 to 13 January 2019, with a press night on 10 December.
In Just So, five of Kipling's short stories are woven together into a wondrous tale of personal courage, individuality and friendship. The Eldest Magician is creating all the animals. Everything is Just So until Pau Amma the Crab starts playing with the ocean, which causes the land to flood, putting the other animals in danger. While the rest of the animals accept their sad fate, Elephant’s Child embarks on a journey to challenge and overcome the disobedient crab. Along the way, he meets other creatures and discovers how they came to be the way they are.
A colourful and uplifting show, described as a designer’s dream come true, Just So has a key underlying message: that one determined individual can make a real difference in this world. Just So is one of the earlier collaborations of the UK's most successful, living musical theatre writing team: George Stiles (music) and Anthony Drewe (book and lyrics). Their other shows include West End hits Half a Sixpence, Mary Poppins, Betty Blue Eyes, Honk! and The Wind in the Willows.
Just So premiered, care of West End and Broadway impresario Cameron Mackintosh, in 1984 at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury before transferring to London. The Barn Theatre production is directed by Kirk Jameson with orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke. John Clancy is associate orchestrator.
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