Two Tyneside-based lads have written a comic musical which premieres in Newcastle this weekend.
And later in the year The Musical! will travel to London and then the Edinburgh Fringe.
It's based on writers Ashley Frieze and Chris Parr's experiences writing a serious musical, despite a ridiculous plot.
Ashley is a stand-up comedian while Chris is a Newcastle University student, and the pair wrote the musical in a dining room in Fenham - so it's a true West End show.
The cast of two, Ashley and Chris, are also the band, an unusual device in musicals. In this case, the characters are trapped in a room and must play their way out.
For extra characters, the pair have to ring people up on their mobile phones or play different roles, such as the "leading lady".
"We've created a world on stage where even the contents of the bookshelves and the ringtones on mobile phones are wry references to musicals," says Ashley, who premieres the show at Newcastle Arts Centre on Saturday.
"Excellent fun for the musical buffs - but the entire show is still accessible to people who don't know their musical theatre."
The premise is that two lads decide to write a musical according to the instructions in an ancient Japanese book.
But the book turns out to be cursed and they become trapped in their own show.
They have to write the rest of their musical to escape being damned for all time - and they're not looking forward to the love scene!
"It's almost like the part was written for me," laughs Ashley, who has appeared in Chess with Tynemouth AOS, My Fair Lady and Camelot with Durham Musical Theatre Company, and performs regularly on the stand-up comedy circuit.
Ashley met Chris in 2002 and they have collaborated on writing two musicals - this is their second.
On working with Chris, he says: "Chris has to put up with a lot from me. I don't know how he manages it. Despite my obvious shortcomings, we still seem to have a lot of fun."
This is Chris's first leading role in a musical he has co-written. He has appeared in musicals in his home town, Bolton, including Grease, Little Shop of Horrors and West Side Story, in his favourite role - Riff. He performed around Newcastle with local band 3 Hours Wasted and in the North West with Provada.
Chris has written a number of shows, including a short musical as part of his college course, and for the educational theatre group, STROBE, which he co-founded.
AT A GLANCE
WHAT: The Musical!
WHERE: Newcastle Arts Centre, Westgate Road, Newcastle.
WHEN: Saturday, May 8
TIME: 8pm (Doors 7.15pm)
TICKETS: £6 (£5 concession)
AVAILABLE FROM: Newcastle Arts Centre shop or by calling 07801 575 951.
Movie double-acts come in all shapes and sizes ...and with varying degrees of success.
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