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22/04/12: POEMS BY WILFRED OWEN - COMPILED BY DAVID FILLINGHAM
David is to direct a version of Bullets And Daffodils (The Wilfred Owen Story) in the USA later this year as part of the Veterans For Peace Project. Buy it here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/wilfred-owen/poems/paperback/product-20054049.html
21/04/12: MERSEYSIDE LEGEND JOHN GORMAN TO STAR IN WILFRED OWEN LIVERPOOL PREMIERE
The area is Gorman's old stomping ground, where he was a scene-maker in the 1960s. John was a larger-than-life figure, and would instigate many of the 'happenings' of the Liverpool scene at the legendary Everyman Bistro, with his collaborators Roger McGough, Brian Patten and Adrian Henri. He found international stardom with the satirist pop group Scaffold, formed with Beatle brother Mike McCartney, and had a string of Top Ten hits. Gorman then became the lynchpin of the madcap and anarchic Saturday morning children’s’ show Tiswas, famous for its custard pies and buckets of water throwing. For the Casa show, John will read from Siegfried Sassoon's manuscripts and deliver Wilfred Owen's best known poem Dulce Et Decorum Est. This performance of Bullets And Daffodils is part of The Writing On The Wall Festival (http://www.writingonthewall.org.uk). Tickets available from The Unity Theatre Box Office, 1 Hope Place, Liverpool, or ring 0844 873 2888.
20/04/12: GRAEME CLARK'S ROLE IN BULLETS & DAFFODILS MAKES THE NEWS!
Graeme will star in the West End version of the show in July, and a Glasgow performance will be announced very soon, so keep checking the website. Click on the image to see the article as it appeared in today's paper (opens in new window or tab), or alternatively click here to read it on the paper's website (also opens in new window/tab). You will need to register, but this is completely free and only takes about a minute.
19/04/12: WIRRAL AUTISTIC CENTRE
The image to the left shows Dean Johnson with Geoff Owen (from the Wirral Autistic Centre) outside the building. The image to the right shows users of the Centre hard at work on an artistic project. Click on each for a larger version (opens in new window or tab).
17/04/12: WET WET WET STAR RECORDS SONG IN HONOUR OF GRANDFATHER WHO FOUGHT IN THE GREAT WAR
Says Graeme, “For me what's interesting is that my Grandfather signed up in the army when he was 16 (1916) as a musician. So he would've seen a bit of the war Wilfred's written about. “It makes perfect sense for me to play and emulate my grandfather as it was from him I got my musical heritage. I only hope I can do the play and my Grandpa justice.” Graeme will perform his unique version of Danny Boy in London's West End premiere of Bullets And Daffodils in July, and it will feature on the cast album released soon.
16/04/12: WILFRED WOWS WIGAN! Another town has fallen under the spell of Bullets And Daffodils. Wigan’s Words Together Festival proved an amazing platform for a performance that featured only Chloe Torpey, Dean Johnson and Phil Gwilliam. Wonderful acoustics and an attentive capacity audience produced a magical evening that highlighted what a superb actress Miss Torpey is becoming, and the solid support of Phil Gwilliam as Wilfred Owen. The images below are all from tonight's production. Click for a larger view (opens in new window/tab).
15/04/12: MUCH APPRECIATION FOR BULLETS & DAFFODILS AT CAROL ANN DUFFY'S MUCH WENLOCK FESTIVAL
Chloe Torpey's performance held the Priory venue spellbound, whilst Charlotte Roberts’ Body Poetry won gasps of horror. One festival organiser commented, “This production brings Owen’s poetry to life.” Co-writer John Gorman was on hand for the performance and congratulated the cast on their stunning success.
11/04/12: OWENMANIA HITS LOCAL MEDIA!
The big news is that Wet Wet Wet megastar Graeme Clark will join the cast for its London West End premiere in July. The show’s writer Dean Johnson says, “We have more very special guests lined up for the show this year. I’m very excited that Danny will be joining Chloe Torpey and the cast at our first performance in Liverpool for the brilliant Writing On The Wall Festival on 2 May.” Click on the image to see the Wirral News article on their website. See our Bullets & Daffodils page for full details.
02/04/12: THE WRITING ON THE WALL FESTIVAL
This performance will feature very special guests alongside the majestic Chloe Torpey as Susan Owen, and we are proud to be involved in this magnificent festival. Click the logo above to see the Festival website for more information (opens in new window/tab).
24/03/12: BULLETS & DAFFODILS AT THE MUSEUM OF LIVERPOOL Hundreds of people flocked to The Museum Of Liverpool today to see a bite-size version of Bullets And Daffodils. The spring sunshine brought visitors from all over the North West to the area's premier cultural attraction. Wilfred Owen is not featured officially at the celebration of Liverpool life, so the performance went some way to marking Owen’s significance to the area. The mini-musical was part of a week of World War I events and featured leading lady Chloe Torpey and the stunning singer Charlie Griffiths who received rapturous applause several times. The cast, led by writer Dean Johnson, were joined in the finale of I Will Fight For You by Jay P McWinen and The Mersey Voices Choir. The event was produced by Janet Holmes. The pictures below are all from today's event. Click on each one for a larger version (opens in new window/tab).
24/03/12: WALL HANGING COMMEMORATES FALLEN AT THE WILFRED OWEN STORY
Pictured here (click for a larger view) with Chloe Torpey and Charlie Griffiths from the cast of Bullets And Daffodils, the huge paint on calico mural, entitled The Fallen, is also displayed at each performance of the Wilfred Owen musical drama.
24/03/12: TITANIC POEMS' GIANT COMPETITION AT THE WILFRED OWEN STORY
The winning entry will be read out at the Wilfred Owen Story on 10 April, so entries need to come in before then. Send your entries to info@wilfredowenstory.com. Click the image to the left to see this event and about all the others on Visit Wirral's own pamphlet (opens as a PDF in a new tab or window).
13/03/12: THE WILFRED OWEN STORY TOLD AT THE MUSEUM OF LIVERPOOL ON 24 MARCH
The cast, featuring Chloe Torpey as Susan Owen, Dean Johnson and special guest Jay P McWinen as Wilfred Owen, will be joined by the 40 piece Mersey Voices Choir for a finale of I Would Fight For You. It promises to be a spectacular day!
04/03/12: PRODUCTION ASSISTANT WANTED (WIRRAL BASED) We are looking for someone with an interest in Musical Theatre to help with the day-to-day running of our high-profile professional production Bullets And Daffodils. Experience is not necessary but enthusiasm and energy are a plus. Are you confident enough to work in a room full of egomaniacs? If you want to be a part of the rollercoaster ride of showbusiness, then please get in touch. Call Dean on 07539 371925 for more details.
03/03/12: RAVE REVIEW IN THE DAILY MIRROR!
The review appeared in the paper's The Ticket section, which comes out every Friday. Click on the image to the left to see a readable scan taken from the paper (opens in a new window or tab).
01/03/12: WILFRED OWEN'S DISPLAY OF FRIENDSHIP MAKES THE NEWS
Click on the image of the poster to the left to see more details about the exhibition.
21/02/12: BACKDROP WORK IN PROGRESS Artist Jim Whelan’s backdrop for the forthcoming Bullets And Daffodils tour nears completion. It will be unveiled and on show at The Wilfred Owen Story before it is used on the tour. The pictures below show various views of this piece of work. Click on each for a larger view (opens in new window/tab).
13/02/12: BULLETS & DAFFODILS COMES TO THE WEST END!
The world’s first Wilfred Owen musical will be staged at London's Fringe Theatre of the Year 2012, The Jermyn Street Theatre on Sunday 29 July. More details of special guests and tickets will be announced soon. http://www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk
07/02/12: PUBLIC FLOCK TO NEW STUNNING EXHIBITION
A world first, the display contains the first pictures of Wilfred's school friend from his days at The Birkenhead Institute. Mrs Field of Higher Tranmere, said, “It’s so moving to look into the face of a young man that was so close to Owen. It is a unique part of Birkenhead’s heritage, and it’s marvellous that it’s being preserved in this wonderful museum.”
02/02/12: ALEC PATON — WILFRED OWEN'S FORGOTTEN FRIEND
Wilfred Owen's Forgotten Friend tells the story of Alec Paton. Owen was said to have only one close friend during his time in Birkenhead. As pupils of The Birkenhead Institute, the boys’ studious nature drew them together and they shared most of the top accolades in their class. Inseparable during holidays, they rode horses on New Brighton Beach and swam at The Argyle Street Baths. Wilfred spent so much time at the Paton household, it was even suggested that he remain with the family when his own parents returned to Shropshire. When as young men they both became soldiers, fate saw Paton live through it, whilst his best friend perished in the last week of the war and became the greatest war poet of all time. Alec, who bore a striking resemblance to poet Siegfried Sassoon, became a teacher on the South Coast. He was said to be reluctant to discuss his boyhood companion, but upon his death at the age of 97, he was buried with an anthology of Wilfred's poems. The exhibition features the world’s first ever pictures of Alec Paton to be seen since Owen's posthumous worldwide fame. His own testimony and that of those who knew him tell the quiet tale of a gentleman who lived his life in the reflective glow of his genius school pal. The picture shows Alec Paton as an old man on an emotional visit to Birkenhead Central Library. He is reading an Owen poem whilst a painting of Wilfred hangs poignantly on the wall behind him. The Exhibition is permanent and admission costs £1.00
19/01/12: NORTH WEST BULLETS & DAFFODILS TOUR TICKETS NOW ON SALE
Tickets for the Northwest dates are now on sale. They are intimate venues so tickets are limited. The full cast will be announced shortly. The score features a David Gilmour recording that was licenced with the permission of the Pink Floyd legend himself. Check out the Bullets & Daffodils page for full up-to-date news on the tour. Please note not all venues have the show on their website yet but keep checking back. The image to the left is the official tour poster. Click it for a larger view.
15/01/12: CONSCIOUS BY J P MCWINEN
08/01/12: JIM WHELAN'S WORKS IN PROGRESS |
There will be highlights from Bullets And Daffodils performed at The Museum Of Liverpool on Saturday afternoon 24 March. 
Wirral artist and sculptor Jim Whelan has been commissioned to produce the stage set for the forthcoming tour of Bullets And Daffodils.
Pictured are the works in progress resulting in the incredible colour image that will form the backdrop.
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Jim Whelan work in progress sketch |
Another of Jim's sketches |
The spectacular colour backdrop |