Our House is a London love story set in Camden Town.  It tells the story of Joe Casey, who on the night of his sixteenth birthday takes his girlfriend, Sarah, out on their first date.  In his enthusiasm to impress her, he breaks into a housing development to show her the view overlooking his family home on Casey Street.  The police interrupt their date, and Joe is forced to make a decision: stay and turn himself in or make a run for it!  Joe’s life is then split in two and we follow the fortunes and misfortunes of both possibilities. The story is told through the clever writing of Tim Firth, who adapted ‘Calendar Girls’ for stage and screen, and many iconic hits from the band Madness including It Must Be Love, House of Fun, Baggy Trousers and of course, Our House! 

The musical will be staged at the Wellesley Theatre, 4^th-8^th May 2022 with Rob Spurway taking on Directing, Beth Swan as Choreographer, and Joe Beckhelling as the Musical Director. The show has something for everyone, from big principal characters to smaller cameo roles, chorus and off-stage singers (for anyone who loves singing but doesn’t like being in the limelight). The casting will be open to everyone aged 14+ from the date of the auditions.  

I’m pleased to tell you that we’ve had our first official production meeting, and the creative team have so many amazing ideas!  We were buzzing with excitement at the end of the meeting, and we cannot wait to get going! 

Here’s the team:  

ROB – Director 

Rob has plenty of experience both on and off stage with amateur groups throughout Somerset, although primarily with Wellington Arts Association (WAA).  This will be his directorial debut for Wellington Operatic Society at the Wellesley, but Rob is no stranger to the creative team of WAA shows, having directed “The Adventures of Mr Toad” in 2019, musically directed Dick Whittington in 2020 and produced several other shows.  He is looking to creating a high-energy fast paced show with professional production values.  

BETH – Choreographer 

Beth has been a member of the WAA since childhood. Her time with the group started primarily on stage as a dancer. Having studied ballet, tap, acro, modern and jazz as a child, Beth later went on to study contemporary dance at Bridgwater College. Where she achieved both an AS level in dance, and a BTEC National diploma in Performing Arts, which contained a substantial amount of choreography as part of the course. Beth has a passion for musical theatre, especially shows that are new to Wellington. “Our House” creates a perfect opportunity for her to explore her creativity and she can’t wait to get stuck in! This will be Beth’s ‘debut’ as Choreographer for Wellington Operatic Society.   

JOE – Musical Director 

With a wealth of experience from performing in various pit-bands and a background in orchestral and choral conducting, Joe is well-equipped for his debut Wellington Operatic Society production as Musical Director. Alongside his professional performance work, Joe also has a passion for community music and is heavily involved in music-making in schools around Somerset. He is also involved in adult community projects such as Canticle Choir in Taunton, which he directs. “Our House is a show full of incredible tunes with an excellent storyline, too. I can’t wait to get going!” 

So, we’ve started the journey, towards a fabulous show!  The set design has been finalised and is currently under construction, and we’re in the process of recruiting the rest of the production team, so now is a great opportunity to get involved!  If you would like to be one of the first to find out about our launch night, workshops and auditions, please complete the form accessed through the button below and we’ll keep you updated! 

Cazz Redstone 

Production Coordinator, Wellington Operatic Society 

Our House – 2022