Knights of the Rose preview

Posted on 28 March 2018

It’s always exciting when there’s a new musical on the block and Knights of the Rose should certainly peak your interest. It has all the epic woes of love, betrayal and bloodshed, not to mention being packed with knights and having a glorious playlist of classic rock ballads to accompany it all. If you’re looking for something new with the grandeur of an old, classic feel, then this new musical set to premiere this summer is a must.

Jennifer Marsden wrote this production over the course of eight years and her passion is evident in the language that combines Shakespeare and Marlowe, all with a pop culture twist. And for those Game of Thrones fans out there, the Knights are certainly calling to you.

The preview event I attended only gave a taster and yet the bubbles of hype stirred in the room as we were presented with a teaser of one of the numbers that holds a great spot on the hit after hit playlist this musical flaunts. Along with a glimpse of all the glory of great music, there were sneak peeks of read-throughs and rehearsals which really brought to life just how luxurious the language is going to be.

Language that falls in the midst of some of the greatest poetic writers our country has known sounds like a big claim, but go see for yourself, and it’ll have you falling in love with the flourishes of the English language that are usually only heard in plays older than us all. If you’re a tad sceptical of the old English and feeling a little out of the loop when it comes to long metaphors and all that splendour, feel assured by the modern twists of classic rock and pop culture references that will have even the widest ranges in an audience coming together.

If you’re a fan of Bat Out of Hell or Rock of Ages, then this is just up your street. It boasts songs from Bonnie Tyler, Meatloaf, Bon Jovi and more. The soundtrack is definitely a treat all on its own, but this rock comes with a Shakespeare twist that you won’t want to miss. After seeing the set design, it’s certain that the Arts Theatre is going to be the place to be when this new musical takes to the stage.

Knights of the Rose tickets are booking now from 29 June to 26 August. Get your tickets here!

By Jade Ali

A love for theatre stemmed from my love of literature and music, but the West End on my doorstep opened up a whole new appreciation and passion for all things stage-y