Next Door's Baby
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Music and lyrics by Matthew Strachan
Book by Bernie Gaughan Produced at the Orange Tree Theatre, London, February 2008 A newspaper baby competition in 1950's Dublin highlights the tension between two very different neighbouring families, both convinced their little bundle of joy will triumph. Orla, eldest daughter of the noisy, numerous O'Briens, glances with envy across the garden wall at Miriam Hennessy's sedate and genteel home life. As the matriarchs feud, the two girls find that they have something in common: they both hide a shameful secret. On the eve of the final they collude on a daring plan that will change their lives and their relationships with their families forever. The husband and wife team of bestselling author, Bernie Gaughan, and award-winning composer, Matthew Strachan, have written a show for anyone who ever had a family. |
"full of delicious wit and earthy humour … supremely successful chamber musical theatre"
The Times "Strachan's lyrics are unusually literate … each song ... has the ingenious structure of a mini-play" The Guardian "Gaughan’s script is a grabber" Financial Times "there's quality in the music and wit in the words - it peddles an attractive bitter-sweet nostalgia that could tickle fancies in the city of its setting" The Irish Times |
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Directed by Paul Prescott
Musical direction by David Randall Design by Sam Dowson Lighting by Stuart Burgess Cast: Louise Gold Mrs O'Brien Vincent Shiels Larry Clare Louise Connolly Sheila Stephen Carlile Riona O'Connor Brenda Longman Emily Sills Robert Gill Elinor Lawless Peter Basham |
