Moby Dick

22nd - 25th April 2009

Moby Dick the Musical

Book and Lyrics by Robert Longden

Music by Hereward Kaye and Robert Longden

Additional lyrics by Hereward Kaye

Venue: Pavillion Theatre, Worthing

Cast List

Synopsis

The girls of St. Godley's School are in trouble! Money for the school has run out and the place will have to close. Leave it to these resourceful girls, and their unflappable headmistress (played by a man in drag), to come up with a plan to keep the school afloat. The girls mount an original production: a musical version of Moby Dick, featuring their headmistress in the coveted role of Captain Ahab.

As the girls perform their adaptation of the classic novel, they come to have an appreciation of education and companionship - NOT! It has more goofy humour than you can imagine, the St. Godley School presentation of Moby Dick! The Musical is guaranteed to make the audience laugh.

Story

As the play opens, the scene is one of chaos Ishmael (all of the characters are referred to by the names the play in the story of Moby Dick), sits at the piano composing a song. The schools headmistress enters she informs her students that due to bankruptcy, the school will close at the end of the term. The girls, determined not to return to their awful, boring lives outside St. Godleys vow to save it. They decide they need to throw a big fundraiser and Ishmael offers her new musical version of Moby Dick. The girls quickly get on board with the idea and the Headmistress passes out parts, making herself Captain Ahab.

Then we are at opening night of the show. A worried Ishmael takes the stage and opens the musical . She sings of her enthusiasm for the sea, the magic of the water, and her love of adventure. She lands, at the end of her song, on the docks of Nantucket where we meet the crew of the Pequod, a whaling ship recently returned from a hunting trip gone bad as Captain Ahab lost his leg to a savage whale.

Meanwhile, Esta, Ahabs wife waits for her husbands safe return. He arrives, accompanied by Pip and a chest abundant with gold and breaks the bad news to her not only has he lost his leg to the whale Moby Dick, but his manhood as well. He will not be able to father her children. Esta improperly giggles when he reveals his ivory stump and the other guests at Ahabs homecoming follow closely. Humiliated, Ahab denounces Esta and he returns to the safety of his cabin aboard the Pequod. Later that evening, Pip attends a very drunk Ahab. While he devotes his dedication to the Captain, Ahab pines for Esta and vows to find and kill the whale.

The next morning, Ishmael and Queequeg go to hear Father Mapple Sunday sermon and to get blessings before their voyage. They then set off in search of a ship that will take them on as crew. Queequeg tells Ishmael that he will know the right ship in his bones. Ishmael chooses the Pequod ; but as they are about to sign up, Elijah, the crazy one-armed lackey, tells them Ahab and his ship are cursed. Undeterred by his warnings, Ishamel and Queequeg find Starbuck and sign up anyway. They set sail.

The Pequod has successfully weathered a winter of storms. Pip and the crew are comfortable and lively as the boat approaches the equator. They've been at sea a year, and finally, a mad Ahab appears from his cabin. He offers a gold dubloon saying it belongs to the crewman who spots the great white whale he seeks Moby Dick.

Ahab comes on deck to observe the kill. Growing worn down of Ahabs increasing delusions, Starbuck confronts Ahab in his cabin saying he came on the ship to hunt, not be a pawn to Ahabs vengeance. Ahab tells him hes aware of his obsession, but cant help succumbing to it.

Back in the crews quarters, Starbuck tries to assemble the men to mutiny against their insane Captain and vows to kill him; but at the last minute, Starbuck cant bring himself to do it. Starbuck tries to persuade Ahab to turn his ship around and go home. At that moment, Ishmael spots an English whaling ship. Captain Gardiner boards the Pequod saying hes been on the trail of a great white whale.

The next morning, regardless of the calm seas, the crew is convinced the ship is cursed. Queequeg casts bones on the deck and prophesizes his own death. When he goes into one of his common trances Flask tries to steal all his money. Ishmael comes to Queequegs defence and a fight breaks out. Ahab emerges on deck to break things up and smells a strange odor Moby Dick. The crew madly harpoons the whale, but Moby Dick eludes them.

The Show

NSMP have gathered together a motivated and energetic cast of members old and new.

The Director, Ron Common has been dedicated to making Moby Dick the success that NSMPs shows are renowned for.

The Musical Director, Alexandra Beatty, fresh from her debut NSMP show Fame the Musical we were so pleased with her that we asked her back and thankfully, she accepted!

The Choreographer is Kevin Edwards, another long standing member of NSMP, who has championed Moby Dick the musical after seeing it in the West End many years ago. (We still think it could be the chance to choreograph females in gym slips that could have swayed him!)

All principles and chorus are made up from existing NSMP members and new recruits.