Gallagher & Storry's "The Brothers Lionheart" is an exciting new musical play based on the story by
Astrid Lindgren, about to explode on to stages on a tour of the UK after appearing in London at at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2009.
A glowing review by "The Stage" newspaper reads: "Its fantasy genre echoes dark Norse sagas and Narnia without an animal host, with a
‘philosophy’ more New Age than Christian. Unlike most British children’s stories, it sets death and after-life as a dramatic framework
for its fast-moving action. Young hero Jonathan, killed saving his ailing brother Karl from a fire, is soon joined by him in the next-world Nangiyala,
but its beautiful Cherry Valley becomes more like purgatory as its inhabitants struggle against the oppression of Tengil, his fascist-clad nasties and Katla,
their fire-breathing monster. Jonathan and Karl realise their destiny is to lead the villagers’ fight for freedom, which they set about fearlessly with many
cliff-hanging adventures, unmasking the traitor Jossi and rescuing heroic Orbach, finally surviving the epic battle with Katla. But Jonathan is mortally wounded,
so Karl jumps with him into the next, wholly happy, Nangiyala. Intelligent plot-line, good-quality singing and acting – Thomas Haise and Nicholas Pack strike just
the right note as Jonathan and Karl – superb scenic visuals, clever use of tower-frame set and Hollywood-epic music grip the youngsters’ attention throughout".
Review by Brian G Cooper
Published online at 12:56 on Monday 17 August 2009
Published in The Stage Newspaper in the issue dated Thursday August 20, 2009. More information is available by emailing the production team through
the website: www.simonfielder.com
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