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A Bristol fairytale
based on one man's city childhood is set to be a star attraction
at this year's Edinburgh Festival.
The musical
production is called "Little Worth" and is all based around
the Snuff Mills area of Frenchay where its creator James Trotham
grew up.
James, a professional
chef, has been creating the story of Little Worth ever since he
was a youngster growing up in the city. But what started out as
a hobby has now grown into a major project.
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| Wells Cathedral
School is mounting the production of "Little Worth." |
As well as the
musical, which is to be presented in Edinburgh by youngsters from
the Wells Cathedral School, there is to be a book of the story which
will be published at the same time.
If the production,
a complex tale of a little boy born into a Bristol family who then
grows thick hair all over his body and has a series of adventures
with a circus, proves successful it could then be taken on tour
in the USA and India from where offers have already arrived.
James explained:"Even
as a child I always thought Snuff Mills was a magical place. My
grandfathers and great grandfather used to take me for walks around
the place and tell me stories of its past and the characters they
had known.
"I also
used to think of people I met and members of my family as characters
too. Then, as I watched Snuff Mills deteriorate over ten years
or so, I just felt I had to start writing all this down.
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| James Trotham
was inspired by family and friends. |
"I also
had met Ralph Reader of "Gang Show" fame and he inspired
me by saying if he could write a musical anyone could.
"What
I have tried to create is a story which everyone can enjoy.
It's basically a story of good and evil."
All the time
34-year-old James was training and working as a chef he had "The
Project" in his mind and eventually, encouraged by friends
and family, decided to pursue it as a professional aim.
He began writing
seriously in his grandparents house in Snuff Mills and started exploring
and finding out more about the history of the area, particularly
a place called Frog Island which features prominently in the musical.
As relatives
died he created characters to keep them alive in his mind and those
also found their way into the story.
Things really
began to take off though when he teamed up with student Jane
Ballentine who scripted the stage-show and has also written
the book.
He also began
working with composer Nicola Edwards who has orchestrated all the
songs in the show for a 24-piece orchestra.
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| An old
mill in Snuff Mills where the musical is set. |
James, who has
two children and three stepchildren, says:"I believe that
people should do what they are good at and while I will always
be the creator Jane and Nicola have done things I could never
have done."
James's eldest
stepson is a chorister at Wells Cathdral School and when the
school heard of the project they snapped it up and are now casting
ready to take it to the prestigious Edinburgh Festival for a
week-long run.
"It hasn't
all been plain sailing though," says James. "I have
found it virtually impossible to get any financial backing for
the show and have met lots of people who just wanted to rip
us off."
Internet
site
James has now
purchased a website domain name and is in the process of building
an internet site to promote the show and the book.
He has one clue
that the show will be well received. When he married his wife she
walked down the aisle to one of the "Little Worth" songs
and others were performed at the reception to great acclaim from
the 400 guests.
If Edinburgh
is a success James hopes he will be able to get the financial
backing to put the show on in Bristol where he firmly believes
it belongs.
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