murray lachlan young Archives

Raddlesham Mumps take flight – in the rehearsal room AND in the animation studio

So this week sees Murray Lachlan Young and the whole Raddlesham team get together to start developing The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps ahead of its opening in April. Murray of course is an award winning, multi-disciplinary writer spanning the worlds of: poetry, theatre, film, music, lyrics and as much live performance as time allows. He appears regularly on Radio 4, Radio 2 and is resident poet on BBC 6 Music. The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps project is based on Murray’s brand-new epic poem of the same name. The project will sees the team of creatives develop a live show touring 8 venues in April 2019, a wraparound VR and immersive theatre experience as well as releasing an album of the show to go along with the already published book. The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps reflects Lachlan Young’s passion for sweeping, gothic and absurdly comic children’s poetry. With ghosts, witches, fairy folk and a classic tussle between good and evil, the poem has been developed as a book, a CD, and an interactive Virtual Reality experience as well as a lively theatre performance. The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps places young, innocent, curly-haired Crispin, at the centre of the story. When our brave young hero, inherits his parents’ stately home, the eponymous Raddlesham Mumps, the seven-year-old begins a bizarre and entertaining voyage of discovery. With Kenilworth the ancient butler as his guide and confidant, over the course of 100 plus gripping stanzas, Crispin gradually learns the truth behind the …

Who is playing me asks Crispin as the crowdfunder reaches its last 48 hrs!

As our crowdfunder heads into its last two days things are beginning to hot up. We’re just about to send the mastered recording of The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps off for duplication. But there’s still chance to get yourself into the CD credits by ordering one of our fabulous rewards including download codes, limited edition CD’s, exclusive tickets for guest night, book, cd and ticket packages – even the opportunity to have a performance of The Raddlesham Mumps in your own home! Meanwhile our hero Crispin has been up to his usual tricks and asking awkward questions about the project! Ive got another question @murraylyoung @matthewlinley – that ok — Crispin Clumps (@CrispinClumps) December 2, 2018 Er yes if you have to — Matthew Linley (@MatthewLinley) December 2, 2018 So theres a book, a CD, a stage show and this VR pixel thingy — Crispin Clumps (@CrispinClumps) December 2, 2018 Yeah. People can already buy the book here https://t.co/MCU2eZlTcM and they can get the CD through our crowdfunder for the next 3 days here https://t.co/be1dy8Y9uA and the play and VR will open in April #mysteryoftheraddleshammumps — Matthew Linley (@MatthewLinley) December 2, 2018 So the play – I’m in it right? — Crispin Clumps (@CrispinClumps) December 2, 2018 Ahhh well…. — Matthew Linley (@MatthewLinley) December 2, 2018 Ahh well what! I feel a strop coming on — Crispin Clumps (@CrispinClumps) December 2, 2018 OK. Well yes and no. #mysteryoftheraddleshammumps is all about you so you’re in it – but you’re …

IS VR painful asks Crispin as the crowdfunder count down begins!

So after quite a long silence Crispin (resident almost teenager at Raddlesham Mumps) has broken his silence over twitter. About time too as the countdown clock on our crowdfunder has begun…just 10 days to go. This is how this evenings exchange played out…. Er @matthewlinley @Uni_of_Essex @mbdtweet @murraylyoung what is this unique VR experience you keep talking about? Are you about to pixelate me? Is it painful? https://t.co/mnuwjJnGOn — Crispin Clumps (@CrispinClumps) November 11, 2018 Nothing to worry about – Essex Uni are opening a brand new digital innovation centre just to ensure your pixelation is as painless as possible….. — Matthew Linley (@MatthewLinley) November 11, 2018 And just so you know @MatthewLinley @MurrayLYoung Ive had my hair done this weekend for the album cover – but you better tell me when the photographers coming as I’m a busy boy https://t.co/mnuwjJnGOn — Crispin Clumps (@CrispinClumps) November 11, 2018 and the fine folk at @MBDtweet will make sure your looking your best . Heres a sneaky peek at another of their VR projects #empiresoldiers just to give you an idea of the kind of thing…. https://t.co/grNt9uyWHU — Matthew Linley (@MatthewLinley) November 11, 2018 . @CrispinClumps @Uni_of_Essex @MBDtweet @MurrayLYoung and anyway just think of all the fun your friends and audiences will have wondering around Raddlesham Mumps…virtually https://t.co/be1dy8Y9uA — Matthew Linley (@MatthewLinley) November 11, 2018 Is VR a bit like the trips Uncle Noggin ‘N to the C’ used to talk about, you know the ones before that unfortunate accident with an …

The Mystery of Raddlesham Mumps – playing at home

It’s the Monday morning after the week before. My studio floor in 37 Queen Street, Colchester is covered in the remnants of last weeks residency on The Mystery of Raddlesham Mumps, hastily ‘dumped’ on Friday as we raced off to The Idler festival for an initial reading of the work. There’s a Baboon mask, a conductors baton, top hat and tails, empty wig boxes, flip chart paper, pens, pens and more pens. As I tidied through the ephemera, updated the accounts, completed the rehearsal notes and revised our project schedule I found myself reflecting on the week before. @MatthewLinley @MurrayLYoung @idler It’s been a brilliant couple of days! Have a good one tonight, and see u soon! — arun ghosh (@arunghosh) July 13, 2018 We’d been working on a new ‘epic’ poem by Murray Lachlan Young. Murray and I were joined by Nina Hajiyianni, AD of Action Transport (Outside Eye), Arun Ghosh (composer) and Laura Biggs (movement) to explore how this hilarious work could be brought to life live on stage. Julie Verhoeven was also very much present in the room through her stunning illustrations. It had been an exhilarating and successful week, concluding with that live reading of the work at the Idler Festival in the beautiful and atmospheric surroundings of The Drawing Room in Fenton House. There were lots of reasons why the week had felt so positive. First – of course – was the strength of the material. The more we worked on the text, the …

Discovering The Mystery of Raddlesham Mumps

Raddlesham Mumps was the seat of the Clumps As ancient and strange as the old fairy tumps Stacked high and widelike a mound of crow feather With rumours the wallpaper held it all together Thanks to the support of Arts Council England, and Essex County Council, Murray Lachlan Young, I and a team of tip top collaborators including clarinetist Arun Ghosh and Action Transport’s Artistic Director Nina Hajiyianni are about to go on a journey into a dark and gothic world! Fitting then that the first of those explorations is happening in my own home town of Wivenhoe!!!! That dark and gothic world is The Mystery of Raddlesham Mumps – Murray Lachlan Young’s brand new verse poem for children (8+) and their families. The story centres on young Crispin, the recently orphaned master of the Raddlesham Mumps. With only the company of the ancient butler Kenilworth, Crispin hears the tale of the lords of Raddlesham Mumps and their untimely demises. But Crispin doesn’t realise that the dark, mysterious force that has been the bane of his family for generations has turned its gaze towards him… (One of Murray’s latest videos with the team at Ridley Scott, Lycra Dad!!) Seven years old, he was seven years old Ripped like a lamb from the warmth of the fold Britches of red with a curl in his hair Thrust to the fore like a pig at the fair Murray Lachlan Young is of course the BBC6Music Poet in Residence. He came to prominence during the Brit …

Lonely Hearts Club

May 17, 2018May 11, 2018 by Matthew Linley

by Luke Barnes A quirky, charming and quietly unique coming of age story Lonely Hearts Club was one of those plays that you read, and could never quite forget. So when the opportunity came to test some new writing as part of Liverpool’s Summer of Love I jumped at the chance to ‘play’ with Lonley Hearts Club. The piece itself was originally written whilst Luke was on attachment to Soho Theatre. It’s fun, joyful, just a little bit silly but with an ever so big heart It’s the story of two boys growing up in Southport. Two boys falling in and out of love – with each other, with their parents, with where they live and with what life offers them. A love story told through an end of pier show – so karaoke, merges into Punch and Judy and on into ventriloquism. The workshop production is directed by Tony Lidington (see also Shuff & Byng) who I first worked with on a weird and wonderful project called Geoquest with the musician Hugh Nankiville and mythogeographer Phil Smith Development Period: Further development at Halifax Square Chapel in September, followed by industry sharings in Essex and London Key dates: Sharing dates to be announced soon What We Are Looking For:Venues and promoters from theatres, working mens clubs, variety clubs to come and see the sharing Web Links: Find out more about Luke Barnes here: https://www.oberonbooks.com/barnes.html Find out more about director Tony Lidington here: http://www.prom-prom.com/

The Mystery of Raddlesham Mumps

November 11, 2018May 11, 2018 by Matthew Linley

A hilarious new verse drama for children from the pen of 6 Music Poet in Residence Murray Lachlan Young. The Mystery of Raddlesham Mumps began its life as a 6000 word epic family poem. After a series of untimely deaths a 7 year old boy inherits his ancestral home – Raddlesham Mumps. He finds himself in a huge empty house with only an ancient butler for company. The butler begins to tell him the bizarre and hilarious deaths of his deeply eccentric ancestors and the story takes flight on darkly comic wings. The poem is the first part of a ground breaking and innovative multi-media platform project developed across 4 mediums – the book (published by Scotland Street Press in August 2018), an album (with specially written music by Arun Ghosh, due in December 2018), a live show (to launch in April 2019) and an immersive VR experience (also to launch in April 2019). Written and performed by Murray Lachlan Young. Directed by Nina Hajiyianni. Music by Arun Ghosh Illustrations by Julie Verhoeven. Movement by Laura Williamson Biggs. Photography by Pooch Purtill. Associate Director Scott Hurran. VR animation by MBD.Ltd We are currently crowd funding to support the whole project. If you’d like to contribute we’d be really grateful of your support. The crowdfunder video is below and you can visit the page here (are you a promoter – then please email me for the password – linleymatt@gmail.com) Murray and I have history! We first worked together under the …