Bullets and Daffodils

Bullets and Daffodils is a musical about the life of the war poet Wilfred Owen, created by musician and composer Dean Johnson and directed by Dean Sullivan.[2] The musical is based on Owen's poems set to music by Johnson, with the addition of new songs written by Johnson to help narrate the story of Owen's life.

Bullets and Daffodils
The Wilfred Owen Story
The principal cast with Dean Johnson at the Jermyn Street Theatre in London's West End.
MusicDean Johnson [1]
LyricsWilfred Owen, Dean Johnson
BookDean Johnson
ProductionsBirkenhead
2010 Birkenhead Central Library
West End
2012 Jermyn Street Theatre

Performances

Johnson attended the Birkenhead Institute as Owen had done previously[3] and had become influenced by his poetry during his teenage years.[2] The first performance of the musical was in 2010 at the Birkenhead Central Library,[4] and subsequently moved to the Lyceum Theatre in Port Sunlight, Wirral, narrated by Sullivan.[5]

The musical moved to the Forum Theatre in Chester in March 2012, including contributions from John Gorman and David Gilmour.[6]

On 9 June 2012, a preview of the West End's performance took place at Fort Perch Rock in New Brighton, featuring Chloe Torpey as Susan Owen, Phil Gwilliam and Charlotte Roberts. Danny Morris made a special guest appearance playing the part of Wilfred Owen.[6][7]

The London première of the musical occurred on 29 July 2012 in the Jermyn Street Theatre, London, directed by Illy Hill[6] and featuring Christopher Timothy and Wet Wet Wet's Graeme Clark.[8]

A UK tour based around places that Wilfred Owen visited or stayed in during his lifetime was organised for Autumn 2012 with dates in Blackpool, Stratford upon Avon, Dunsden, Oswestry, Heswall, Nelson and Ripon.[9] In October, the musical was performed at Dunsden Green, Oxfordshire, where Owen lived from September 1911 to February 1913.[10]

Reception

Time Out described the musical as "Bizarre and intriguing, in equal parts."[11]

References
  1. The Citadel. "Bullets and Daffodils". Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  2. Welsh Daily Post (17 February 2012). "Bullet Points" (PDF). Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  3. "Wilfred Owen - Spirit of Birkenhead Institute". Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  4. Wirral Globe. "Wilfred Owen musical is a West End sell out". Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  5. BBC News (13 September 2011). "Brookside star directs Wilfred Owen musical drama". Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  6. "Bullets and Daffodils". Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  7. "Review: Bullets & Daffodils at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton". Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  8. Wirral News (11 April 2012). "Wet Wet Wet bassist to make West End debut in Wirral musician's musical about war poet Wilfred Owen". Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  9. Breeze, Paul. "Paul & Lucy's Best Kept Secrets". News Item. Posh Up North Publishing. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  10. Henley Standard. "Wilfred Owen life to be re-enacted". Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  11. "Bullets and Daffodils". Time Out. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
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