A slice of Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 comes to a Birmingham pub & its extraordinary

A brand-new musical based on an extraordinary love story is to premiere this summer at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, after previews in a Birmingham pub.

After This Plane Has Landed follows John McCarthy and Jill Morrell, journalists who spent more than five years apart after he was taken hostage in Beirut while covering the civil war in Lebanon. John was captured in 1986 and held by terrorists while his girlfriend Jill actively campaigned for his release.

The dialogue, lyrics and music of the ‘dramedy’ musical is written by Birmingham musician Adrian Kimberlin and it be previewed at The Dark Horse in Moseley. It’s his second original musical, after his ambitious debut The Stars That Remain was staged in 2018 at the Old Joint Stock in Birmingham.

Why tell the story of John McCarthy and Jill Morrell?

Adrian says: “I stumbled across a video of John McCarthy, who, along with his broadcasting and writing, is now a successful motivational speaker. He certainly inspired me! His story came flooding back to me. It had everything, romance, a hard-hitting war, some humour and a very empowered female lead. I think most people who are old enough can recall the events, though are not necessarily aware of what happened next.

“It’s an extraordinary story but has themes people can identify with, of separation, loss and reunion. It was a love story we were all rooting for, but it must have been so hard for them when John was freed. They tried to pick up their relationship under an intense media spotlight and with the fairy tale expectations of the public. That’s what the second half of the musical is about, what happens after this plane has landed.”

Who is in After This Plane Has Landed?

Birmingham-based actor Benedict Powell will play John while Claire Russell has been cast as Jill. Staffordshire’s Alan Magor, a graduate of Birmingham School of Acting, now Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, who directed The Stars That Remain, will return to direct After This Plan Has Landed.

Where are the Birmingham previews?

Adrian says: “We want to bring a slice of the Edinburgh Festival to Birmingham and have teamed up with local promoter Rebecca Jones-Owen to stage previews at The Dark Horse in Moseley. Not everyone goes to the theatre or would venture into the city centre to see a show. This gives audiences a chance to see good quality theatre in a laid back atmosphere. It’s just an hour long and you can have a drink too.”

What are the challenges of taking a show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

“It’s expensive! It’s costing us thousands to rent a theatre space and accommodation for a month, but we are delighted with the venue and our time slot. We did a recce last summer and found theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, a central location in a hub of performance spaces. We’re on at five to four in the afternoon, after the children’s shows and before the comedians. The venue seats 63 and we’re doing 22 performances over 23 days.

“I am heartened that of the 3,000 shows in the programme, only 100 listings are for musicals and opera and only 20 of these are new works. So we might stand out a bit more.”

What about other journalists who risk their lives and liberty?

“I hope our show draws attention to their plight. John was captured nearly 40 years ago but the story is still relevant as, as we speak, 558 journalists and media workers are detained around the world, according to RSF Reporters Without Borders. We’re pleased to be supported by Birmingham Press Club, the oldest in the world.”

What do you hope for the future of After This Plane Has Landed?

“Edinburgh is a great shop window so we’d like to be taking meetings with theatres, promoters and producers while we’re there. We’d love to go on tour next year, with the show extended to an hour and 40 minutes. Edinburgh is a loss leader for us, but our aim is for After This Plane Has Landed to become profitable in time. It’s portable and flexible and can be performed virtually anywhere – we’re very interested in pop-up spaces where you don’t expect to see a show, like a warehouse.”

After This Plane Has Landed previews at The Dark Horse in Moseley from June 15-18. Tickets from £10 at https://AfterThisPlane.eventbrite.co.uk. It plays theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from August 4-26 (not 13) https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/after-this-plane-has-landed