Western Morning News (Saturday)
A musical curtain-raiser for new Hall
THE first major show to take to the stage of the newly-transformed Hall for Cornwall will be the world premiere of Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical.
The new production has been revealed as the debut show to tread the boards of the landmark theatre when it reopens later this year following a three-year, multi-million pound redevelopment.
Julien Boast, CEO and creative director at Hall for Cornwall, said: “We think there’s no better way to raise the curtain on Hall for Cornwall following our major transformation.
“Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical is a feel-good story celebrating friendship, community and music, a perfect tonic to lift us from recent events which have impacted all our lives and a great celebration of people, passion and possibilities which are at the heart of our new theatre. The show will form the foundation of our inaugural launch season.”
The musical charts the rise of Port Isaac’s famous sea shanty group and their major record deal signed in 2010. Since then Fisherman’s Friends have performed for the Queen, played Glastonbury’s iconic Pyramid Stage and entertained hundreds of thousands of fans at home and abroad, winning numerous awards along the way.
The musical has been adapted from the 2019 hit film Fisherman’s Friends, which grossed $11.5m worldwide. It will feature many of the much-loved sea shanties made famous by the group.
And the show has the blessing of the Fisherman’s Friends themselves, with the group saying: “Blimey me, how did that happen! We are so proud that the musical based on our unexpected voyage will be launched down here in the heart of Cornwall.”
Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical will be the first co-production for Hall for Cornwall’s new in-house company Cornwall Playhouse Productions, and produced in association with West End producers Royo.
The Grade II listed Hall for Cornwall in Truro closed its doors in 2018 for the start of a major transformation costing over £20 million. 300 new seats in the redesigned three-tiered auditorium will take its capacity to 1,352.
It was originally planned to reopen in the autumn of 2020 and then spring 2021, but construction delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic means it will open in the autumn. Toward the end of last year the venue received a £2million grant from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund to help meet additional costs caused by Covid delays.
The transformation project has been supported by Arts Council England, Cornwall Council and National Lottery Heritage Fund among others.