A new play for young audiences by Nicky Singer.

Grumpy Western teenage, Cameron, arrives on an unihabited arctic island with his research scientist mother, Pascale. Beneath the soil the permafrost is melting and the graves throwing up their dead. There are bear prints in the sand and Cameron, lacking for his computer and i-pod, begins to hear – and see – things that science says cannot be there. One of them is an Inuit girl. The other is a polar bear.

No one’s an island, Cameron. You, your parents, London, Qikiqtaruk, the whales, the guillemots, the living, the dead. We’re all connected. If one moves we all move. 

Island played at the National Theatre (Cottesloe 2012) and also in 40 London schools.

Read what The Independent had to say about Island:

http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/02/06/the-power-of-theatre-to-educate/

There is interest in Canada  – where the play is set - in touring the play.  Watch this space.

Island photo credits: Clare Park

I collaborated with Scarabeus Aerial Theatre and Candoco Dance Company to create Heartland, a story of imprisonment and freedom, and the longing for the lands of home and heart – based on the Minotaur/Icarus legends. The show toured six outdoor festivals in 2011 and culminated in a site specific show (with music by Jude Obermuller) to celebrate the opening of Platform at the old Hornsey Road Baths, London N7.

View the Glyndebourne official Knight Crew Opera website

Knight Crew by Nicky Singer retells the legend of King Arthur as the story of Art, Quin and Lance – members of a teenage knife gang who experience violence, love and a revelation of how their world can be remade. Inherently operatic with grand themes of passion and betrayal, it caught the eye of composer Julian Philips, and opera director John Fulljames.

In March 2010 Knight Crew was staged as an opera at Glyndebourne with a cast of young adults (libretto by Nicky Singer, music by Julian Philips) – Glyndebourne’s first ever commission from a teen novel.

Nicky says:

Wow. I so left the planet. Watching Knight Crew in rehearsal – and then on that hallowed stage in front of packed houses four nights in a row – what can I say? Here are a few pictures that give some small taste of it – but imagine this, imagine you made up a whole group a people, a whole universe, and four years later, they all got up on a stage, walked, breathed, sang. And broke your heart. Night after night. That’s what it was like for me.

The National Theatre then commissioned Peter Tabern and Nicky to re-write Feather Boy as a Musical with lyrics by Don Black and music by Debbie Wiseman. The piece, which is now published by Collins  (see Books) was devised as part of the National’s Connections  series. Over 200 schools take part in Connections, each school selecting one of ten newly commissioned pieces to perform. One production of each script in the portfolio is then showcased as part of the National Theatre’s Festival of new writing for young people at the NT on the South Bank.

There were about 25 performances of Feather Boy nationwide and two of the best ones were produced in Brighton, Nicky’s home town.

Feather Boy the Musical – full length version.

Nicky, Don and Debbie are currently re-writing Feather Boy as a full-length musical starring only people under 12 and over 70.

Watch this space!

Television series

Even before Feather Boy won the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award, it had been spotted by Childsplay producer Peter Tabern, who wanted to adapt it for television. The result was a fantastic six-part drama starring Thomas Sangster as Robert and Sheila Hancock as Edith. The BBC also broadcast it as a 90 minute film.

Feather Boy went on to win the Best Drama category in the children’s BAFTAs 2004. The award actually went to Producer Peter Tabern and Director Dermot Boyd, but here’s Nicky getting her little piece of glory.

Crumbs – she’s even wearing make-up