Roger Marsh Composer

Tristram Shandy

Date                November 2009

Title                 Tristram Shandy

Full title           The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, gentleman.

Subtitle           A cock and bull story.

Author            Laurence Sterne

Category         Theatrical adaptation of Sterne’s Tristram Shandy, with music.

Directors         Roger Marsh and Morag Galloway

Musical directors   Nia Lewis and Daniel Edgar

Assistant musical directors Sam Stadlen and Bianca Brajuha

Production advisor Patrick Wildgust

Documentary   Martin Scheuregger. (Watch here)

 

Background

I was approached by Patrick Wildgust, the curator at Shandy Hall, who asked if I knew that 2009 would be the 250th anniversary of the first publication of Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne and that the book contains a wealth of musical reference and allusion.  He suggested a concert of music connected to the book. It quickly became clear that there was enough material to keep a whole music department busy, and I proposed it become the 2009 Practical Project.

The best way to grasp the enormous ambition of this project, is to watch Martin Scheuregger’s wonderful documentary, made during the project and later edited as Martin’s final submission for assessment!

 

Programme