Chichester: Greg Mosse’s fantasy adventure for Havant youth theatre

The show Daisy and Marvin Save the Day, which Greg describes as an inclusive, fantasy adventure with musical arrangements by John Gleadall, is a homecoming of a kind for Greg.

“I was born above a shop in the parade in Leigh Park. It means a lot to me that this company is taking this play on.”

Performances will be from Wednesday, January 6 to Saturday, January 9 at 7.30pm, plus a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm at St Faith’s Church Hall, The Pallant, Havant, PO9 1BE.

In the show, in a land without cars, phones or guns, Daisy and Marvin live peacefully with their family and friends in a fishing village by the sea. Out of the blue, the village is attacked by an army of Thugs – boys exiled from the Town, led by the mysterious Prince. Daisy and Marvin flee through the forests and the farms, with the Thugs close behind. In the Town they meet the Beggars, the Courtiers and a very unhappy Queen. Marvin is taken prisoner. No one wants to help Daisy get him back. Then the Thug army approaches the Town walls….

Can Daisy and Marvin save the day?

“There are good parts for 12 to 18-year-olds,” Greg said. “It is specifically designed to be a good show for a youth theatre, a show set in a fictional world. It is a single stand-alone show with ten original songs whose lyrics I have written. The composer is John who has written all the music and the accompaniments – and he has written incredible music. He is the most wonderful contact that I met at Chichester Festival Theatre where I teach a play-writing programme. He has done some brilliant work with Dynamo Youth Theatre in the past. I said to him I had this script and asked if he would consider writing the music.

“Dynamo Youth Theatre has been running since 1981. It is more than 30 years old and runs without any public funding support, simply on the basis of volunteers who give everything to keep the youth theatre alive and the goodwill of the people that help out. There are parents that were part of the first-ever meeting and are still involved now.

“Unlike Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, it is not attached to any particularly building, but they usually rehearse at St Faith’s Church Hall which is where they are doing Daisy and Marvin Save the Day. They draw their performers from Havant and Leigh Park, and, as I say, I was born in Leigh Park. I am so pleased the play is being done there. This is a company that draws its identity from the energy and the application and the commitment of everyone that is in it. Every year young people graduate from the youth theatre having gained so much in terms of development of special skills and confidence.”

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