GRACE DARLING was born in the village of Bamburgh on 24th November 1815 and died of consumption (tuberculosis) in her father's arms at the early age of 27 years..
In September 1838 with her lighthouse keeper father William they rowed out in a North Sea gale to rescue 9 survivors from the paddle steamer 'The Forfarshire' For this heroic act, she became known as 'The heroine of the Farne Islands' thus becoming a Victorian celebrity, receiving many plaudits and honours as well as having many portraits painted by well known artists plus one by an 'Artist Anon' and I've used this small fact as the root of my story.
MUSICAL NUMBERS
* 1. Overture
2. Be Fishermen
3. Keeper of the Light
4. Who'll Buy My Fish
5. Kittens & Kings
6. Springtime
7. Maypole Dance
8. Take One Girl
9. Melody
10. How Can I Tell
11. It's Over My Head
12. Reminiscing
* 13. Only The Sea
14. For One Moment
15. I Care Nothing for Fame
* 16. Man of my Dreams
* 17. In Your Shadow
16. Finale (reprise)
THE PLAYERS
THE DARLING FAMILY:
WILLIAM (Father)
THOMASI (mother)
GRACE @ 11 yrs
GRACE (adulthood)
ELIZABETH @ 14 yrs
ELIZABETH (adulthood)
ROBIN - WILLIAM - JOB
THOMASIN - MARY ANN
GEORGE - WILLIAM (2)
THE OTHER MAIN CHARACTERS.
JOSEPH SWAN @ 12yrs
JOSEPH SWAN (adult)
ANNIE SWAN (Joe.s mother)
The Forfarshire Survivors
The Bamburgh Fishermen
The Women of Bamburgh
+ Members of the Chorus
SYNOPSIS
Even though Grace achieved world wide recognition, in actual fact she seemed to be a very introvert character and spent most of her short life working with the family on the Longstone'.
In writing this musical on the life and times of this young woman, I've taken some poetic license based on a newspaper cutting in the obituary of her death in 1842 stating, 'A young unknown man but thought to be called 'George' (a portrait painter), walked in the cortege.'
As little is known of Grace's private life, I've used this scant information to write a fictitious love story as I'm pretty sure she must have had friendly relationships with both sexes on the mainland and was thought to have corresponded with the mysterious 'George'?
Of course my story is centred around the famous rescue and also illustrates how the media of the times were just as voracious in pursuit of a 'headline' as they are today. William Darling wrote in his memoirs that "It was fame that eventually brought about her demise.
“SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE!"
Order Reference Numbers:
DAW 27O9367 & 8
Total Price: $70.00
This is a preview of the layout, libretto + piano/vocal score