Franz & Marie

Franz & Marie description

Franz & Marie is a new musical that reimagines Georg Büchner's unfinished tragedy Woyzeck as the story of two people trying to hold on to each other.

Set in the twisted world of late nineteenth-century European folklore, the show follows Franz Woyzeck, a soldier haunted by nightmares since returning from the front line. He lives for two people: his girlfriend Marie and their baby, Georgie. As poverty, humiliation and the demands of those above him close in, the small world the couple have built together begins to come apart.

This is the London premiere of a newly adapted version, first commissioned two decades ago and developed with members of the cult folk band The Singing Loins. Where Büchner's original centres on Franz, this staging expands Marie's role to give her equal prominence, pairing the two in the title much as Romeo and Juliet are paired. The raw, indie folk score is played live by a company of fourteen actor-musicians, with dark humour running alongside a portrait of class prejudice, toxic masculinity and social inequality.

The book and lyrics are by Chris Broderick, with music by Chris Broderick and Rob Shepherd, in a new adaptation by Teresa Howard and with additional music, arrangements and orchestrations by Steven Edis. The production is directed by Michael Oakley, with choreography by Ben Wright, set and costume design by Bretta Gerecke, lighting by Christopher Nairne and sound by Andrew Johnson and Oscar Cotran.

The piece is performed by an ensemble of fourteen actor-musicians who play the score live on stage. It is produced by the South Korean company ACOM, known for The Last Empress, Hero and Arang: Dreamland of the Peach Blossoms, together with Steven M Levy for Charing Cross Theatre Productions.

Book now to see Franz & Marie at the Charing Cross Theatre — a visceral new musical that breathes fresh life into Büchner's Woyzeck.

Playing at Charing Cross Theatre

The Arches, Villiers Street, London, WC2N 6NL GB (venue info)

Directions