Rock, mice, and holiday magic collide in a bold new musical.
It’s Christmas Eve—the one night of the year animals can speak. In a town losing its color, a struggling tailor and a crew of ambitious mice stand on the edge of fortune. But how much are they willing to sacrifice for success?
Produced by Farnham Maltings and adapted by Alex Kanefsky (Cable Street), Beatrix Potter’s timeless tale is reimagined as an electrifying holiday adventure. Featuring a rock and pop score by double Olivier Award-winner Darren Clark (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), brilliant puppetry, and plenty of festive mischief, a cast of four spins The Tailor of Gloucester into an unmissable theatrical event.
We sat down with composer and lyricist Darren Clark to uncover how he brought music for this classic story to life.
The Tailor of Gloucester is historically known for its quiet, cozy, traditional charm. What inspired the decision to inject it with an electrifying rock-and-pop score and a fast-paced, modern energy?
I can’t quite remember who came up with the idea, but I think it was Katy and Max at the Maltings who fancied the idea of some pop/punk in there… the idea was that we wanted to bring this timeless tale up to date and infuse it with the world of fashion. And that naturally led to us thinking of how exciting fashion choices are often adopted by pop and punk stars like Green Day and Lady Gaga. It all just grew from that.
How did you and writer Alex Kanefsky approach expanding Beatrix Potter’s original tale into a narrative centered on a town losing its colour, community values, and doing good when no one is watching?
Alex and I have been working together since the beginning of our careers (I think we did our first show in 2009 with our company Paper Balloon). So it was a joy to collaborate with him again; we always have such fun writing together because we have exactly the same storytelling values. Alex had already done a huge amount of thinking with the Maltings about how the story could celebrate community, which is of course a huge part of the Maltings mission. When I came on board, Alex and I worked hard to shape the narrative into something where music could provide the spine for that journey. From disconnection to connection. Both Alex and I are always drawn to telling stories that have a social mission to them and a real heart, as well as being off the wall and silly, which suited us down to a T.
How do your songs help heighten the high-stakes dynamic between the struggling tailor, the trio of ambitious mice, and the surrounding neighbourhood?
I always try to ensure that music is part of the narrative drive of any story I work on. So the music always occurs at moments of decision, reflection, devastation, and celebration. The Tailor's music and the music of Gloucester is gentle and based in the folk world. Whereas the world of the mice is fast-paced and filled with drive. I was thinking partly about the different heartbeat speeds of humans and mice. Mice have faster heartbeats so their music is faster. Similarly the town of Gloucester, when it is grey draws from the folk world of Gordon Lightfoot.
Having received massive acclaim for your folk-infused score in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, how does shifting into the realm of rock and pop for family theatre change your approach as a composer?
I have always been an eclectic composer. My musical writing career has always been hugely varied in terms of style. I write in whatever style my collaborators and I feel the tone and feel of the story demands. I love learning new styles of music; it’s one of the great joys of my job. And I was writing family theatre for many years prior to the success of Benjamin Button, and so I feel very at home when I come back to it. The key for me has to be to never to talk down to children in terms of style.
Children’s natural comprehension of rhythm and melody is hugely advanced, so it’s important to me that I make the music as exciting and meaningful for them as I can. When I was growing up, I was a heavy metal guitarist, so I use lots of those techniques in my rock writing!
With only a cast of four performing live music while navigating jokes, mischief, and puppetry, how did you structure the arrangements so the performers can manage it all seamlessly onstage?
Well, that work is still partly to be done in rehearsal, as it’s always a bit of a puzzle how to make it sound and look great with a limited number of performers. In the case of this show, we’ll be using a combination of live instruments by the talented performers and elements of recorded tracks to fill out the sound.
Are there specific musical motifs or signature instrumental sounds associated with the tailor versus the mice?
Yes, they each have their own themes, very different in style but not so much that they feel as if they are from different stories….
Do you approach the songwriting any differently when there is already material that you are bringing to life as opposed to any original piece?
Good question. I don’t think so really. Although I must say it’s always nice to be drawing inspiration from material rather than having to make it up yourself, it means that half the job is done for you. But in terms of how we then interpret that story musically, it’s always dictated by what the narrative demands.
Farnham Maltings emphasizes creating work for all generations. How do you strike a musical balance that captivates younger children with energy and humour while keeping adults emotionally invested?
I think that’s the other thing that Alex and I have always thought was important. We like making shows that both our kids and we would enjoy watching. We want adults to be able to reminisce and laugh and feel nostalgia and joy whilst their children are enjoying a brilliantfast paced narrative, so we always make sure there’s room for both. Again, we do this by not talking down to kids. We treat all audience members with respect when we’re writing.
What was the collaborative process like working alongside Alex Kanefsky to seamlessly intermingle his script with your original music?
Because Alex and I have worked together for so long, it just feels like such a natural process. Alex always gives me huge leeway to do what I want musically within the narrative of the structure. We talk through the musicalisation of moments and agree on a basic structure, then I’ll go away and create something that fits that mould. Sometimes the music takes me somewhere unexpected on the way, and then we have another chat and make sure it’s all still serving the narrative. Basically, it’s always the best idea wins. I love working with Alex.
You have also worked on the music and lyrics for the forthcoming adaptation of Daisy and the Trouble With Christmas at Curve this winter. What can you tell us about that project?
That’s also been a real joy to work on. Again, I’ve been collaborating with Rebel Sparks and Sarah Langtree for many years, so we have a shorthand and understanding of the way we like to tell stories that makes for a very joyful process. Daisy’s songs have more of a dance/electronic energy merged with traditional musical theatre, and the reason for that is to match Daisy’s particular energy in relation to her excitement about Christmas. It’s going to be really fun and silly but with a real emotional heart to it. The team is great.
What inspired your own journey into music writing?
I remember I used to write guitar riffs when I was a teenager, and from there I moved fairly naturally into songwriting. For years I was a singer/songwriter on the folk circuit in London and in the UK and had a band, but once I discovered that I could write songs for theatre, that was it really, and it’s all I’ve wanted to do since!
What was the first piece of theatre you remember having a big impact on you?
I saw the Palladium Panto of Babes in the Wood when I was 6 years old and I still remember the joy of that experience. I suppose I’ve been trying to recapture that ever since I started working in theatre.
What core takeaway or feeling do you hope audiences take home with them as this production tours across the country this winter?
I hope that people take away a sense that the little good things that we do really matter and that community is one of the most powerful forces for good in this world. And of course I hope they go away with a couple of tunes in their heads…
The Tailor of Gloucester tours from 17th October until 29th November 2026. For tour dates and venues visit https://farnhammaltings.com/artists-and-makers/theatre/producing/productions/tailor-tour
The production then runs at Farnham Maltings from Friday 11th until Thursday 24th December 2026. For tickets visit https://farnhammaltings.com/events/tailor-of-gloucester
Daisy and the Trouble with Christmas runs at Curve from Monday 30th November until Sunday 3rd January 2027. For tickets visit https://www.curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/daisy-and-the-trouble-with-christmas/
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button runs at Public Theater in New York from 8th October until 22nd November 2026. For tickets and more information visit https://publictheater.org/productions/season/2627/the-curious-case-of-benjamin-button/
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