Forgive Us, Oh Father!
To his surprise, a lazy but compassionate priest ends up in purgatory. As father Stephen-Peter recalls the confessions he has taken on earth, the archangels must decide whether he belongs in heaven or hell. The advice Stephen-Peter gave to his parishioners on earth led to hilarious situations with grave consequences. Are good intentions enough to save his soul?
Forgive Us, Oh Father! – written with Harry Style – is an original farce, perfectly suited for festivals. It is an ensemble piece with one lead role and nine other substantial parts and can be performed in the round as easily as it can be on a thrust stage. The show appeals to comedy audiences and musical theatre fans alike, with cracking jokes and harmonies.
The show has enjoyed a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017 with Chevron Theatre after it was produced in October 2016 by Leeds University Union Music Theatre Society. Harry and I are currently developing the musical further.
Info:
Cast size: 10 pax (minimum of 3 men, minimum of 3 women – gender of other characters is flexible)
Stephen-Peter: male, baritone (mid 50’s)
Lucy: female, soprano (mid 40’s)
Will: male, rocky tenor (mid 20’s)
Gary: male, baritone (mid 40’s)
Georgina: female, soprano (late teens)
Emily: female, soprano (early 20’s)
Michael(a): female, alto / male tenor (age undefined)*
Raphael(le): female, high alto / male baritone, (age undefined)*
Lucifer: female, high alto / male, baritone (age undefined)*
Gabriel(la): preferably male, tenor / female soprano (age undefined)*
* = potential actor-musician role
Band: 5 pax
Piano, Electro-acoustic guitar, Bass, Drums, Keys 2
Additional orchestration for a reed and brass section is available
11 original songs
Suitable for prosc arch, thrust and traverse productions
Running time: 65 minutes, no interval
“You’re hooked from the moment the lights came down. With a well-written plot and characters, Harry Style and Arnoud Breitbarth are definitely on to a winner here. The plot arcs completed perfectly, and unpredictably, which is more often than not an issue in new writing. I had the song stuck in my head for the next couple of days.”
“This is a character-led musical comedy that celebrates humanity and the mistakes one must make in life to learn the true meaning of forgiveness and acceptance. [...] The audience leaves tapping its feet. What could be better than that?”