The European Premiere of a new Rock Musical from the composer of Spring Awakening
Music and Lyrics | Dunan Sheik
Book and Lyrics | Kyle Jarrow
CREATIVE TEAM
Director | Adam Lenson
Set and Costume Design | Andrew Riley
Musical Director | Daniel A Weiss
Lighting | Alex Drofiak
Sound | Gregory Clark
Video Design | Mark Holthusen
Movement Director | Naomi Said
Movement Director | Jonnie Riordan
Assistant Director | Grace Taylor
Photographer | Johan Persson
CAST
Female Ghost | Niamh Perry
Male Ghost | Simon Bailey
Charles | Simon Lipkin
Lily | Diane Pilkington
Yasohiro | Nicholas Goh
Christopher | Fisher Costello-Rose, Stanley Jarvis
VENUE
The Other Palace, London
DATES
6th April - 27th May 2017
SYNOPSIS
From the Tony Award-winning composer of Spring Awakening and American Psycho.
An eerie lighthouse stands on the remote East Coast of America at the height of World War II. When Christopher’s father’s plane is shot down, he is sent to live with his Aunt Lily and her mysterious Japanese housekeeper. It isn’t long before he starts to hear strange music seeping through the walls… but is his imagination getting the better of him, or are the ghosts warning of real danger?
Soon the whispers become something louder. Whisper House combines a thrillingly original rock score with an unforgettable story about learning to embrace the unknown.
“Something beautiful and exciting is happening in Victoria. No, I’m not talking about the refurbishment of the Victoria Palace in readiness for Hamilton. I’m referring to the haunting, strange, exquisite Whisper House
Visually this production is a knockout. Adam Lenson’s atmospheric UK premiere justifies the creative team’s ongoing faith in this unconventional piece. ”
“The Other Palace is quickly establishing itself as a home for the development and promotion of challenging new musical theatre. Now it boldly provides a platform for the European premiere of chamber musical, Whisper House.
This darkly riveting new production of a piece developed in the US in 2009, is a fantastic statement of the theatre’s intentions. It both stretches the form and gives voice to a top-flight cast of UK musical theatre performers and creatives.
There are ghosts, literal as well as figurative, secrets and betrayals. Sheik and his co-lyricist and book writer Kyle Jarrow knit then together in a rumbling, troubling collection of jagged melodies. Director Adam Lenson’s production charges it up with brooding atmosphere.”
“Directed by Adam Lenson, Whisper House has been staged with a flair of originality, the towering lighthouse is represented by a sunken stage that is extremely effective. You can almost feel the bracing cold wind of the Atlantic as waves crash in the background and the stage is bathed in blue light and smoke. The ghosts sprinkle their own magic on proceedings with little snippets of trickery that are definitely visually engaging.
Whisper House is a beautifully written musical with a superb score that looks great”
“A novel departure from the ‘norms’ of musical theatre.
Director Adam Lenson moves his cast around on this space with masterful precision, timing everything to the undulations of the country-and-folk-rock-inflected score with swirling, gyrating motions this way and that, around and around, and up and down its levels. The whole thing is presented with impeccable care and loving respect for every syllable and note of the text.”
“Whisper House is stylistically and visually stunning.
Duncan Sheik and Kyle Jarrow’s Whisper House offers a wonderfully talented cast, combined with a truly original rock score and beautiful story. ”
“Whisper House is a deliciously dark piece of American Gothic set against the tense backdrop of German U Boats threatening the US mainland, and it grips from the word go.
Adam Lenson’s production is an intriguing and entertaining chamber piece.”