The world première production of the heart-warming, original musical Then, Now & Next, written by Christopher J Orton (My Land’s Shore) and Jon Robyns (currently playing the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera) is set to play at Southwark Playhouse 23 June – 29 July 2023 – directed by Julie Atherton (Ordinary Days) and starring Alice Fearn (Come From Away, Wicked), with further casting to be announced.
Christopher J Orton and Jon Robyns said today “We started work on early drafts of this show together almost ten years ago, and eagerly revisited it in April 2020. It got us both through lockdown with no expectation of the show turning into what it is today. We came out the other side with a piece that speaks to how we all feel now about moving forward and what it means to belong.
We are strong advocates of new, original British musicals, and are delighted to have our debut show produced at Southwark Playhouse; a proven breeding ground for new innovative writing. Alice Fearn has beautifully embodied the character of Alex Shaw through several workshops, and we’re extremely excited for audiences to see her bring this brand-new musical to the stage for the first time.”
Struggling with a difficult past, Alex Shaw is attempting to take steps forward. We follow her journey over twenty years, through two loves – young, adventurous idealist, Stephen, and the older, reliable and charming Peter – as she gathers the scattered chapters of her life, in the hope of re-building her story and asking if she will ever be more than just “fine”.
Through Alex’s experiences, her uplifting story questions how relationships can change over time and explores what it takes to truly heal.
Accept what was. Embrace what could be.