Fisherman's Friends: The Musical to premiere at newly transformed Hall for Cornwall
It will be the first show at the newly renovated theatre
The first major show to take to the stage of the newly transformed Hall for Cornwall will be the world premiere of Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical.
The brand new production has been revealed as the debut show to tread the boards of the landmark theatre when it reopens later this year following a three-year, multi-million pound redevelopment.
The show will be based on the true story of the famous sea shanty singers from Port Isaac.
Tickets will go on sale thing spring with the show scheduled from the autumn, although an exact date has not yet been revealed.
“We think there’s no better way to raise the curtain on Hall for Cornwall following our major transformation.
“Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical is a feel-good story celebrating friendship, community and music, a perfect tonic to lift us from recent events which have impacted all our lives and a great celebration of people, passion and possibilities which are at the heart of our new theatre. The show will form the foundation of our inaugural launch season.”
Julien Boast, CEO and Creative Director at Hall for Cornwall
About the musical
The musical charts the rise of Port Isaac’s famous sea shanty group and their major record deal signed in 2010.
Since then Fisherman’s Friends have performed for Her Majesty the Queen, played Glastonbury’s iconic Pyramid Stage and entertained hundreds of thousands of fans at home and abroad, winning numerous awards along the way.
The musical has been adapted from the 2019 hit film Fisherman’s Friends, which grossed $11.5m worldwide. It will feature many of the much-loved sea shanties made famous by the group, including Keep Haulin’, Nelson's Blood, No Hopers Jokers & Rogues, Sweet Maid Of Madeira and many more.
And the show has the blessing of the Fisherman’s Friends themselves with the group saying: “Blimey me, how did that happen! We are so proud that the musical based on our unexpected voyage will be launched down here in the heart of Cornwall.”
Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical will be the first co-production for Hall for Cornwall’s new in-house producing company, Cornwall Playhouse Productions, and produced in association with West End producers Royo.
The production will be directed by James Grieve (former Joint Artistic Director of Paines Plough and former Associate Director of the Bush Theatre) and written by Brad Birch (Tremor, Black Mountain, The Brink, Gardening for the Unfulfilled and Alienated, The Endless Ocean, Tender Bolus). It is designed by Lucy Osborne with musical supervision from David White.
About the Hall for Cornwall renovation
The Grade II listed Hall for Cornwall in the heart of Truro closed its doors in 2018 for the start of a major multi-million-pound transformation. 300 new seats in the totally redesigned three-tiered auditorium will take its capacity to 1,352, meaning it can attract bigger shows.
There will be a warmer welcome with more communal bars and cafés on both sides of the building. A brand new front entrance on Boscawen Street will lead into an Ope that runs through to Lemon Street, giving behind-the-scenes glimpses of the workings of the auditorium.
A new co-working space called HUSA (meaning ‘to create an illusion or dream’ in Cornish), will nurture and support Cornish performance artists and the creative industries, and is a first for a UK regional theatre.
And the transformed building will be the base for Get Creative, the new name for HfC’s programme of creative work with schools, families and communities, which is expected to reach over 50,000 young people in the next five years using theatre, dance, music and heritage.
The Hall for Cornwall operates as a charity, with all surpluses invested in working with young people, increasing the impact of Cornish creative industries, and creating co-productions with Cornish and national partners.
It was originally planned to reopen in the autumn of 2020 and then spring 2021, but construction delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic means it will open in the Autumn. Toward the end of last year, HfC received a £2m grant from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund to help meet additional costs caused by Covid-19 delays.
The transformation project is being supported by Arts Council England, Cornwall Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, HM Treasury, the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, the European Regional Development Fund and an army of passionate and committed supporters.
How to get tickets
Tickets will go on-sale Spring 2021 with the show opening Autumn 2021 (dates tbc).
Sign up to the Fisherman’s Friends mailing list on www.hallforcornwall.co.uk for tickets on-sale news and updates.