Andrew Lloyd Webber rock musical revival opens in Newbury

WHISTLE Down The Wind – the first major UK revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman’s 1996 rock musical since 2010 – opens at The Watermill on Friday and runs until Saturday, September 10.

Directed by Watermill associate artist Tom Jackson Greaves, the production features a company of actor musicians alongside a cast of talented local young people.

America, 1959. Change is in the air. The post war boom is thriving, the civil rights movement is growing and the golden age of television has begun. But, on a farm in rural Louisiana three children are hoping for a miracle.

When Swallow, a teenager struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother, discovers a man hiding out in the family barn she becomes convinced he is Jesus. In a town where the community will do anything to defend their way of life, the children unite to protect their saviour. As fantasy and reality collide, Swallow begins to discover who she is and what it means to grow up.

Tom Jackson Greaves says: ‘The opportunity to bring this incredible story back to the stage after its long absence feels extremely special.

"We have been given the chance to introduce it to audiences anew while also creating a brave and fresh interpretation for those who may have seen it before. It’s a real gift.

"Stories of dreams, grief, family and community have universal power and I hope our actor-musician-led revival will engage and surprise our audiences at the most beautiful theatre in the country - The Watermill."