Rewrites – the showcase for new musicals – is back at Mayflower Studios on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 November, with an invigorating piece of gig-theatre that reimagines the classic Greek myths of Theseus and Icarus.
In Half Man Half Bull, Wright and Grainger and Oliver Tilney reimagine two myths – the adrenaline fuelled Theseus & The Minotaur and the heartrending Deadalus & Icarus.
A lad heads off to kill a monster.
A boy falls out of the sky.
Two inextricably linked stories of hope and loss, wildly retold by internationally acclaimed masters of storytelling(. Two stories, two gigs – two tales of escaping things and proving things. This epic theatrical double-album full of virtuosic spoken word and soaring live music is a story in two halves.
Rewrites was launched by Lowry in 2017 to support and promote new musicals at the start of their journey to the stage. It’s a platform that puts shows on their feet and in front of an audience for the first time via presentations including scratch nights, works-in-progress workshops and concerts.
The showcase was expanded in 2024 to include three new partner venues Mayflower Studios, Birmingham Hippodrome and Norwich Theatre – to create a new touring platform for new musicals in development.
The hit West End musical Operation Mincemeat started out at a scratch event at The Lowry as part of Rewrites, and other musicals featured previously include No Miracles Here, A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Sad), Snowflake, and 2024’s Nell’s Place.
Half Man Half Bull was at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last summer and now an extended version is being redeveloped via Rewrites.
Presented by Wright and Grainger, Oliver Tilney, James Simon, Kevin O’Driscoll and Oliver Award-Winning Molly Morris. There will be two performances of the show at each venue, with ‘curtain raiser’ showcases of new work in progress beforehand.
Tickets for Half Man Half Bull (12 – 13 November 2025) are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
- In Common is not for profit. We rely on donations from readers to keep the site running. Could you help to support us for as little as 25p a week? Please help us to carry on offering independent grass roots media. Visit: https://www.patreon.com/incommonsoton