Second Single And Video Released From New Upcoming British Musical SOHO DREAMS

The second single and video have been released from new upcoming British musical SOHO DREAMS, featuring music by Mark Russell and Ivor Novello & BAFTA nominee and book & lyrics by Rob McLoughlin.

‘Child' is available now from Bucks Music on SPOTIFY, Apple Music and streamers worldwide on Friday February 9th. More tracks will be released later this month. 

‘Child' is a moving autobiographical ballad, performed by Jessica Pardoe as lead character, Samantha Serraillier. The song reflects the dilemma Samantha faces as she dreams of a potential escape from a changing Soho in 1980s London but it's an escape which could break her strong links and dominance in a place where you can be anyone or anything at anytime!

Mark Russell, the Ivor Novello, and BAFTA nominated composer of Soho Dreams describes the song as “heart wrenching but delicate in its paired-back arrangement, which adds to the melancholy and agony within Samantha's deep soul.”

He said: “It's a number which has resonated with audiences  during the show's development phase and in workshops at The Other Palace.”

Mark who has penned 16 original numbers for the show describes Soho Dreams as  “full of energy, comedy and then real moments where audiences just hold their breath and watch the rollercoaster of emotions flow from the array of characters who occupy the stage”. Russell has composed for productions across ITV, BBC, NBC, HBO and for streamers worldwide as well as film productions in Hollywood.

Based in The Night Owls, an illicit drinking den on Greek Street, Soho Dreams slowly reveals what happens when Michael Peters from Irlam in Salford enters a world he doesn't understand  and finds himself caught up in a mix of cops, robbers, and occasionally robbing cops!

Soho Dreams has lyrics and a book by Rob McLoughlin (www.robmcloughlin.com) an award-winning  journalist and broadcaster who began his career on stage before he joined Radio City in his native Liverpool and later Granada Television in Manchester where he became a lead presenter and later, board director.

Work began on the production in 2015 and an audio version was created just after lockdown with graduates from the Scottish Conservatoire in Glasgow which included Harry Mills (Dr. Dillamond in ‘Wicked') and later workshopped in Islington with performers including Talia Palamathanan (Pritti Pasha in ‘Everyone's Talking About Jamie' tour') and was directed by Rosie Parker with Ryan Mackenzie as Musical Director.  

A six song EP (including ‘Child' and ‘This Is My Life' which was released at the end of January) will be available for streaming and downloads at the end of February 2024 and is released by Bucks Records part of the Bucks Music publishing group (www.bucksmusicgroup.com).    

The new EP will include performances from Daniel Bravo currently starring in ‘Cruel Intentions' at The Other Palace in London as well as Lee Turner, Jessica Pardoe, and Barry Keenan.

Producers are in discussions about venues for a full stage production of Soho Dreams.

Mark Russell - Music

Mark Russell and Rob McLoughlin met as students at University of York and first discussed working together in the early 1980s. Mark composed music for a ground-breaking political show ‘The Spin' created and presented by Rob for Granada TV and later collaborated on Granada's 40th birthday special which saw the RLPO (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) and the Halle combine in a TV and radio 7 spectacular with stars such as Cilla Black and Barbara Dickson (1996).

Mark composed the music for the original series of ‘Cold Feet' for Granada and worked on a range of productions for the BBC, ITV including the drama ‘Whitechapel' and the long-running ‘Who Do You Think You Are?' as well as ‘Kingdom' which starred Stephen Fry, ‘The Worst Witch', ‘The Evermoor Chronicles' and also worked with Jerry Seinfeld in Hollywood. He presented ‘Mixing It' on BBC R3 for 17 years with the late Robert Sandall of The Sunday Times. He has been nominated for a BAFTA and Ivor Novello award.

Rob McLoughlin - Book & Lyrics

Rob became a reporter and presenter for Granada Television working on ‘World in Action', ‘Granada Reports' and also contributed to ITN before he became an executive and later Board Director of the company. He has worked in the independent sector and for the BBC as well as channels abroad. He created ‘The Virtual Grand National' (ITV) which replaced the real race in the lockdowns of 2020 and raised millions for NHS Charities Together (their  Covid campaign raised £160m and NHSCT credits the programme with raising awareness of the charity).

He first went on stage as an impressionist as a child and then as part of a satirical show which toured universities, colleges, and arts venues in England. He began broadcasting professionally with Radio City in his hometown of Liverpool and in 1994 was one of the first voices on BBC Radio 5 Live as he hosted ‘Morning Reports' and ‘Weekend Breakfast' alongside Jane Garvey. In 2015 he was appointed an OBE for ‘Services to Broadcasting'. He first suggested the story and characters to Mark in Derwent College, York and they began writing the music in 2015.

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