TESS SHOWCASE HEADLINES LITERARY FESTIVAL

Audiences in the Midlands will get a flavour of new British musical TESS when a special showcase provides the headline attraction at a literary festival.

Songs from the show will be performed live before a Q&A with composer Michael Blore and lyricist Michael Davies as part of the Banbury Literary Live event in September.

​SHOWCASE

​Now in its sixth year, the annual festival will be held at the town’s Mill Arts Centre on Saturday, September 15. The community and family event boasts a line-up of top authors, speakers, performers and workshops and is aimed at bringing the community together and igniting a passion for literature. The TESS showcase at 4.15pm forms the culmination of the day, with free entry to visitors.

TESS is a fully sung-through adaptation of Thomas Hardy's much-loved epic Tess of the d'Urbervilles.

​ALBUM

Talks are currently under way to stage full productions of the musical later in 2018 and in 2019. Meanwhile, the whole show can be heard in a concept album recording starring Siobhan Dillon, Tam Mutu and Simon Bailey, available to listen to free by signing up to join #TeamTess at the website www.tessthemusical.com/album.
 
Banbury Literary Live co-organiser Joanne Thorne said: “We are really excited as TESS proves that classic fiction can be accessible to everyone in a really ‘live’ and exciting way.”
 
For more information about Banbury Literary Live, visit www.literarylive.co.uk. For regular news and updates about the show and its development, follow @MusicalTess on social media or visit www.tessthemusical.com.