Solitary premieres in Plymouth

Solitary , an exciting new music theatre production commissioned and promoted by Peninsula Arts, is to be premiered on Monday 13 September, 7.30pm at the Roland Levinsky Building Theatre, University of Plymouth. The piece for one actor and five musicians, described as a ‘homage to the pop-song’ by its acclaimed playright and poet Peter Oswald, tells the story of 19 year old Hazel, played by Louise Waterfall, following her wrongful arrest at a demonstration. Musicians from the South West Music School, part of a national network for exceptionally talented young musicians, provide the live on stage band: Harry Smith on sax, violin, guitar and keyboards; Nathan Bawden on drums and percussion; Tobie Tripp on piano, violin and guitar; Beni Weedon on 5 string violin, and Alfie Weedon on double bass. The production is set in a police station cell where Hazel, distraught at having her iPod taken away, begins to make her own music in her head. Peter describes the idea behind this production: “This is where most people go to for their poetry these days - lyric, epic and dramatic. Solitary takes a pop-song as its starting point; all the drama and the music of the piece grow out of the song. Devon-based composer Hugh Nankivell provides the score.