“Death and intrigue”: The Crooked Spire

source: British Theatre Guide

Ashgate Heritage Arts has been awarded a grant by Arts Council England to develop a medieval murder mystery musical, an adaptation of Chris Nickson’s novel The Crooked Spire.

AHA presented an online showcase of the story at Buxton Fringe Festival in July 2020 along with a question-and-answer session, How to Write a Musical in Quarantine.

​AHA director Peter Gray said, “it’s very exciting. With this grant, we can complete the script for the whole show and present the next developments in the story online. “Right now we’re busy putting together the creative team. Then ‘virtual’ rehearsals will begin before each scene is filmed. The next chapter, stage two, will be shown just before Christmas.”

The Crooked Spire tells how John Carpenter comes to Chesterfield in 1360 to work on the new spire. Death and intrigue strike the construction site and John is suspected of murder. He is faced with a struggle to clear his name and bring the guilty to justice.