FOLK, the landmark play telling the story of Cecil Sharp and celebrating the traditions and music of rural England, takes centre stage at Frinton Summer Theatre.
The play will run from July 25 to 29 at the town's McGrigor Hall.
Theatre-lovers can expect an evocative performance filled with beautiful music and pastoral song, starring the hugely talented actor and pianist, William Oxborrow.
More than a hundred years on from the origins of Folk, the debate still rages as to whether this music should have been committed to paper or continued with its centuries-old oral tradition of being passed from generation to generation.
The controversy began in 1903, when musician/composer Cecil Sharp set about visiting the Somerset countryside to hear and collect the great songs loved and perpetuated by the locals.
Folk tells the story of how Sharp visited remote Somerset villages and collected their traditional songs whilst getting to know and perhaps understand a little more about their hard lives.
There are spine-tingling moments as the women project their inner emotions through beautiful song.
Fresh from appearing as Holly in Philip Barantini's BAFTA-nominated feature film Boiling Point, Hannah Traylen is set to stun audiences in Frinton as Louie Hopper in this acclaimed play.
Whatever your opinion on the ethics of Sharp’s garnering of these songs from the English countryside, there is no doubting that without his learned curiosity, the world might not have heard such sublime musicality.
Frinton Summer Theatre’s artistic director, Clive Brill, said: “Frinton Summer Theatre has a long-held reputation for bringing the very best talent from the West End to the Essex coast.
"To have William Oxborrow performing as Cecil Sharp is a privilege as audiences are sure to be delighted once again by his musical talents.
"Folk celebrates all that is great about the origins of music from the voices of the people inspired to create it.
"It’s a classic tale of storytelling and emotional expression, beautifully witnessed through an enchanting soundtrack.”
All evening performances are at 7.30pm, with matinee performances at 2.30pm
Tickets can also be purchased from www.frintonsummertheatre.org.
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