Buxton International Festival hosts premiere of musical based on town's pioneering feminist Vera Brittain

A new musical built around the songs of Ivor Novello and based on the early life of Buxton’s pioneering feminist and pacifist Vera Brittain is poised to be highlight of the town’s prestigious festival of arts and culture.
By Gay Bolton
Published 5th Jul 2023, 05:30 BST
The Land of Might-Have-Been opens at Buxton Opera House on July 7 and runs there on selected dates until July 21.The Land of Might-Have-Been opens at Buxton Opera House on July 7 and runs there on selected dates until July 21.
The Land of Might-Have-Been opens at Buxton Opera House on July 7 and runs there on selected dates until July 21.

The Land of Might-Have-Been charts the lives, loves and stories of those closest to Vera and will premiere at Buxton Opera House on Friday, July 7, 2023.

West End actor Audrey Brisson will play the role of Vera Brittain. Audrey played the title role in Amélie the Musical for which she was nominated for best actress in a musical in the Olivier Awards 2020 and best performer in a musical for UK Theatre Awards 2019. Other roles include ‘Utterson – one woman show’ in Jekyll and Hyde and Cinderella in Into the Woods, The Lorax in Dr Seuss’s The Lorax and Bella in Emma Rice’s The Flying Colours of Vitebsk.

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Brisson will be joined by Alexander Knox who plays Roland Leighton, Vera’s doomed fiancée. Alexander has appeared in A Merchant of Venice (Playground Theatre), Into Battle (Greenwich Theatre), The Tempest, Henry V (Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre York), The Silver

Sword and the film, Music, War and Love.George Arvidson plays Edward Brittain, Vera’s brother, who courts death rather than face being court marshalled for his sexuality.

Arvidson’s numerous West End appearances include Les Misérables, Evita and Carousel. Kit Esuroso will play Bobby, Vera’s friend and Edward’s secret lover. Kit recently won best actor for his role in AKONI for the Australian Screen and Industry Network Awards. Other

highlights include Showboat (Crucible Theatre, West End), TINA (original West End cast) and West Side Story (Royal Exchange Theatre).

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Running on selected dates until July 21, The Land of Might-Have-Been is the first co-production between Buxton International Festival and Norwich Theatre.

The Land of Might-Have-Been, with book and lyrics by Michael Williams, follows on from another Buxton-inspired triumph, Williams’ award-winning opera, Georgiana.

Iain Farrington has arranged Ivor Novello’s songs, including My Dearest Dear, Waltz of My Heart, My Life Belongs To you and Why Is There Ever Goodbye, for the Northern Chamber Orchestra.

Ticket prices start at £25 for The Land of Might-Have-Been. Book online at www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk or call 01298 72190.

Related topics:BuxtonWest End