Following in the footsteps of Rock and Roll Suicide, Margaret O'Hanlon's latest musical offering, London Calling, is taking shape ahead of its inclusion in Winter Games festivities.
London Calling will revisit the music of UK legends like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, the Clash and many more, set against the backdrop of the social conditions that inspired it.
Like its predecessor, it will be a story without dialogue, told through the choreographed performance of the music by a cast featuring singers from the Bowie-inspired rock opera.
Writer and producer Mrs O'Hanlon said it came about when she was approached by Winter Games festival manager Malcolm Blakey, who proposed performances of Rock and Roll Suicide be included in the celebrations.
"However, Universal Music Australia denied us the rights to that, so I came up with a couple of other ideas for Mr Blakey," said Ms O'Hanlon.
It was this idea, which has now come to fruition with a main cast of 10, "cameos" from four additional performers and a live band of five, will recreate the music that epitomised the era.
Completing the atmosphere will be documentary footage to give a sense of the social change during the period, featuring events such as Winston Churchill's victory speech and the IRA bombings in London.
With the production of Songstars only just finished, that does not give Mrs O'Hanlon and the cast long until the August 13 premiere, but she remains confident of delivering the goods.
"When we began, I thought we were not going to be able to achieve this, but since we've started, we have all really made progress. I've been a lot more worried before."
• Arrowtown's Athenaeum Hall is the venue for three performances of London Calling, from August 13 to 15, followed by a final performance in Wanaka on August 16.
Performances will start at 8pm, with tickets available for $35 from Queenstown's i-Site visitor centre, Arrowtown's Lakes District Museum and Wanaka Wines and Spirits.
