A New stage musical coming soon.
Based on the book "Little Boy Soldiers."
New score and lib for 2024.
Percy and Eddie.
Percy 16 and Eddie 15, look on, enviously as they watch their older brothers celebrate and plan for enlistment and wonder if they can possibly find a way of joining them?
Frank and George.
The evening ends in spectacular fashion at a local tavern and explodes out onto the streets of Manchester.
The Manchester Pals.
Infused with Alcohol and Dutch courage. The boys party comes to an end and they march on the recruiting office. All that remains is to let Mum and Dad know, that they will be leaving home, soon.
Father.
Father stares out over his farmland. He feels something in the air and awaits the arrival of his Two eldest sons ready to start a days work.
Frank and George.
Nervously the boys approach their father and break the news that they have joined the 16th Manchester's and intend to leave in the next few week's.
Mum.
With a Mothers intuition for danger, she begs the boys to reconsider. Little knowing that both her youngest will soon follow in Frank and Georges footsteps as well. Tearing her family apart.
Frank and Minnie.
Day later whilst travelling through the village. Frank is stunned by the sudden appearance of a beautiful young women. Minnie steals the very breath from his body. His brother advises against any contact as they have both just enlisted.
Time standing still.
Frank is bewitched by the beautiful Minnie and cannot help but, be by her side at all times. Each second, separated from her seems like a wasted moment in time. His decision to join the army now seems like a foolish and immature choice.
Loves first kiss.
Frank and Minnie now seem inseparable. That first kiss explodes in both their hearts, leading to a life time of love. Fate however will tear their story in Two and prove that True Love doesn't always conquer all. Or does it?
A Summer Love.
The Summer of 1914 races away with the Two youngsters. They become inseparable and live entwined in each moment but, time is short and a final picnic is planed for Franks last week at home.
A last day before camp.
Frank and Minnie head out into the countryside for their last day together before he has to leave for training at Heaton Park camp in Manchester.
May be our last chance.
The rain puts pay to any idea of a picnic and they both seek refuge in an abandoned barn by the roadside. Frank declares his love to Minnie and the inevitable happens as they make gentle love to the sound of rain drops on the tin roof.
Marple Fairground.
The bustle of crowds and the scent of fresh candy lingers in the air. George and Frank prepare to leave for Army training the following morning. It is a last day of innocence for everyone.
The big kick inside.
Minnie and her best friend Clara spend the afternoon on the rides and speculating about the future. Minnie is convinced she can feel "THE BIG KICK INSIDE!" but is also upset at the prospect of a sad farewell to Frank, later.
On the house lad's!
Frank and George plus a few of the other recruits are allowed into the beer tent for a couple of final beers on the house. George tells Frank that Billy Bates has been calling him out, for a fight in the boxing ring, next door.
Billy Bates.
William Bates the current holder of the Dales champion boxer and "Cock of the North!" Challenges all comers to take him on in the carnival boxing tent. Billy and Frank have bad blood between them. Long standing family rivalries.
The Bates
brothers.
Billy Bates and his simple, younger brother Saul, calls out Frank as a "Chicken" and a vicious fight ensues in the ring. Frank exposes Billy as a cheat by using hidden weights in his gloves.
Humiliated.
Frank takes on Billy again in a brutal bare knuckle fight. Billy is beaten to the ground and vows revenge on his opponent. The next time they meet, Billy will be wearing Two extra stipes on his army uniform in order to extract his vengeance. However for now. Minnie has caught his eye and another form of revenge takes shape in his mind.
Dutch Courage.
Billy Bates and his cronies lick their wounds at the local tavern. Bates getting more and more drunk as the evening wears on. He suddenly spots Minnie out of the corner of his eye.
Lost her way!
Minnie see's Bates at the last minute and tries to run from him behind One of the carnival tent's. Bates however, catches up and after his drunken pleasantries' are rebuked by her.
Taken by Force.
He drags her round the back of the tent, forces her down to the ground and viciously rapes her. Bates appears again after a few minutes and wanders off back to his drunken friends.
The 16th Manchester's.
The 16th Manchester's become the darlings of the city. Through Lord Derby's Pal's initiative where friends can sign up and train and fight together. Another Three battalions are created that Summer. 17th 18th 19th Pals.
Bates made up to Sgt.
Billy Bates stint in the Boy scouts as a young man, marks him down as a leader of men and he is almost immediately promoted upon his attestation to Sergeant.
Boys become men.
Frank and Billy's rivalry comes to the boil on several occasions over the Summer and it is only Billy's stripes that prevent Frank from fighting back. The truth is not yet out though, but when it comes. No strip of cloth will save the man.
Medical.
Frank and George line up with the other volunteers for their final medical before attestation. Training will begin at the new camp in Heaton Park.
Sgt Waddell.
Suspecting Georges Homosexuality straight away during inspection. Waddell launches into a merciless tirade of abuse at his frozen victim.
Cpt Briggs.
Waddell and the men are eventually halted by Captain Briggs. He see's something very familiar in Young George. They share a hidden understanding of each other. Or so it seems.
The docks.
The hour is finally here and the young men prepare to set sail into history. Many wonder will they ever see their beloved England again?
Family.
Unspoken fears grip the minds of every last Mother and Father that watch the innocents leave. Pride intermingled with horror has to be suppressed as the ships set sail.
Mam and Dad.
Frank and Georges parents watch in muted sorrow. Unaware that their Two youngest are even now hatching their plans. To go and follow their older brothers to France.
Minnie.
The terrified Minnie finally drops the bombshell on Frank as he waves goodbye. That she is pregnant. Not knowing if it is Franks or Billy's child growing within her.
Frank.
Frank is reeling at the news and angry at the same time for her not to tell him until this very late stage. He vows to write to her upon his arrival in France. To demand an explanation.
Setting sail.
The ship echoes to the rousing chorus of men. Singing aloud, to alleviate the pain of all, left behind on the dockside. They turn to face a stormy sea and an uncertain future.
A Final farewell.
Only the singing voices of the men aboard can be heard in the distance. Too far away for them to notice a mothers Heart wrenching tears.
Brave are our Son's.
The joyous vocals now die away as each man focusses on the task ahead. Is the man next to me as terrified as I am?
England expects of you.
It was time to stand up and be counted. Each man now relied upon the other to beat the struggle. To live each precious day. To return home. ALIVE.
George.
Fighting his feelings towards Captain Briggs and desperate to keep his illegal secret from the men around him and from his older brother.
Frank.
Still puzzling the fact of Minnie's reticence in coming forward sooner with the news of their expected child.
Welcome to Hell!
The twelve foot high sentence, daubed upon the harbour wall in Calais. The future for all of them holds no more guarantees. Frank who doesn't know it yet, but he has a huge score to settle.