guernsey, greenwich, garfunkel’s and ghosts

whilE growing up in the Channel Islands, Paul Morrissey’s favourite tv show was some Mother’s do ‘ave ‘Em. he then got to see Frank Spencer - sorry - Michael Crawford in the original Phantom of the Opera, and it was these events that set Paul on the path of becoming a theatre producer, writer and director, writes Michael Holland...

But life is never that straightforward. ‘My original intention was to be a performer and I was lucky enough to get a place at Bretton Hall College in Leeds studying Theatre Arts,’ he begins. ‘I then got in to the company of Blood Brothers and after two years with the show, I decided to further my training and got a place at the Royal Academy of Music in London. It was there, however, that I decided performing wasn’t quite right for me.’

Nevertheless, Paul met James Milton there and they decided to set up a theatre company. Those intrepid entrepreneurs went on to produce a number of UK and International productions including Cats, Chess the Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and The West End Men, which toured China, Europe and the UK before playing a six- week season at the Vaudeville Theatre in the West End - A ‘career highlight’.

Paul is now based in Greenwich where he lives with his wife whom he met when producing a concert version of Les Misérables in the place where Victor Hugo wrote the book. He quite rightly counts that as a special time. He then revealed how lucky he feels to do this work: ‘It can be a bit of a rollercoaster, but having the opportunity to work on incredible plays, musicals and concerts is a real gift. And also meeting and working with some truly astounding people.’

But that rollercoaster means downs as well as ups. The man of many talents claims he could write a book about the times things didn’t go well, recalling when ‘my entire cast missed a flight to Switzerland because they were having breakfast in Garfunkel’s.

Working on all those iconic productions ignited Paul’s love of writing, which he was able to spend more time on in lockdown. That means his latest play, When Darkness Falls, cowritten with James Milton, will soon open with Paul directing and the show’s illusions designed by John Bulleid, an Associate of the Inner Magic Circle.

‘It’s a spine-chilling ghost story,’ he starts to tell me just as a bolt of lightning rattled our windows in separate parts of SE London and shook our Zoom screens! After I’d crept back out from under my desk, he continued. ‘Set on the island of Guernsey – the Island I grew up on – it tells the story of John Blondel, a history teacher who runs the local Historical Society. As part of the Society’s weekly podcast, a paranormal expert has been invited to give a talk on the island’s paranormal history. While John, a non-believer, listens to the speaker’s stories – many of which are based on true events – the night takes a dark turn revealing disturbing truths and unforgettable terrors…’

Now too scared to carry on with the interview I quickly finished up by asking if Mr Morrissey had anything he’d like to add: ‘Only that we are genuinely thrilled to see our own work on the stage - And what better way to do it than with an ‘edge-of-your seat’ thriller! We’ve worked hard to make sure audiences experience a first class show.’

I’m already on the edge of my seat!

Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley, BR1 1HA Tue 4 – Sat 8 April 2023

Booking: www.churchilltheatre.co.uk Box Office: 0343 310 0020

And he has a new musical Berlusconi in rehearsals, which he was keen to talk about: ‘I met the writers Ricky Simmonds and Simon Vaughan almost four years ago when they approached me with a first draft and some demos. I was intrigued by Silvio Berlusconi as a subject for a musical and as soon as I heard the music I was hooked… What is so brilliantly accomplished in Ricky and Simon’s writing is that the serious message of this musical is delivered with such incredible wit and charm and so many laughs. It adds up to a prescient, utterly compelling, wildly entertaining new musical. It is a very special privilege to make a World Premiere of a new show and I am beyond excited to share it with audiences.’

The press release blurb says: ‘A hilarious, naughty, noisy expose of the original perma-tanned media mogul and populist politician told through the eyes of the formidable women ready to share their

James was pleased to report that rehearsals are going well and that ‘I am fortunate to be working with a company of astonishingly talented actors who are bringing the material thrillingly to life.’

We had come to the end of our time together as rehearsals resumed, so I gave James the last word: ‘I’m hugely excited our show opens at the beautiful new Southwark Playhouse Elephant. It’s a fantastic space, a properly thrilling new addition to the London theatre scene and a major asset to Southwark. We are very lucky in this borough to have another wonderful new theatre on our doorsteps.’

I left with one of the show tunes ringing in my ears and am already looking forward to hearing it again at the new theatre.

Berlusconi A New Musical is at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, The Main House, 80 Newington Butts, Dante Place, SE11 4FL from 25 March – 29 April.

Times: 7.45pm, matinees 2.30pm.

Admission: £7.50 - £28.

Booking: https://southwarkplayhouse. co.uk/productions/berlusconi/

Have a lovely Mother’s Day Mom Joan lots of love from Jason and Cora x Happy Mother’s Day to our Mum/Nan. We love you the whole world. Love Alison & Ryan xx

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