Christine Denniston

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Christine Denniston (born 30 December 1963)[1] is a playwright, author and dance teacher[2] and one of Britain's leading exponents of the tango.[3] She graduated in theoretical physics[3] from the University of Cambridge.[1]

In April 2012, her one-act musical Before the Law, co-written with Gwyneth Herbert, was awarded second place in the inaugural Sidney Brown Memorial Award for Most Promising New Work[4][5] which is run by Mercury Musical Developments (MMD), the organisation which supports new musical theatre writing.[4] Before the Law was adapted from A Hand Witch of the Second Stage by Peter Barnes.[6][7] It is the companion piece to After Lydia, a one-act musical based on Terence Rattigan’s play of the same name, which was commissioned by Sounds of England and was also a collaboration with Gwyneth Herbert.[8] After Lydia was given a 45-minute reading at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London on Monday 14 March 2011, starring Rebecca Caine, Andrew C. Wadsworth, Simon Green and Daniel Fraser, with Stefan Bednarczyk as musical director.[9][10] Directed by Maria Friedman, it also had a staged reading at the Watermill Theatre, Bagnor, Berkshire in August 2012.[8]

Musical theatre[edit]

  • Before the Law by Herbert & Denniston, adapted from A Hand Witch of the Second Stage by Peter Barnes
    • Music and lyrics by Gwyneth Herbert • Book by Christine Denniston • Sidney Brown Memorial Award workshop and showcase at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, directed by Matt Ryan, musical director Peter White
  • After Lydia by Herbert & Denniston, adapted from a play by Terence Rattigan
    • Music and lyrics by Gwyneth Herbert • Book by Christine Denniston • Workshop and staged readings at The Watermill, Newbury, directed by Maria Freidman, musical director Stefan Bednarczyk • Selected for the New York Musical Theatre Festival
  • Cake by Saward & Denniston
    • Music by Tim Saward • Lyrics and book by Christine Denniston • Selected for the LOST Theatre Five Minute Festival
  • Beyond the Moon by Bruce & Denniston

Publications[edit]

  • Denniston, Christine (2007). The Meaning of Tango: The Story of the Argentinian Dance, Anova Books. ISBN 1906032165, 9781906032166, 206 pp.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "The Meaning of Tango". Today in Tango. 25 October 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  2. ^ "People and Places: Tango". Learning English. BBC World Service. December 2007. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  3. ^ a b Mackrell, Judith (17 February 2000). "Body talk". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Sidney Brown Memorial Award 2012 – winners". Mercury Musical Developments. June 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  5. ^ Shenton, Mark (17 October 2012). "The changing face of the British musical, and another new cabaret space". The Stage. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  6. ^ Denniston, Christine. "Book by Denniston". Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Before the Law". The S&S Award. Sidney Brown Memorial Award. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  8. ^ a b "Sounds of England". Watermill Theatre. August 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  9. ^ "Caine, Wadsworth Et Al Star In AFTER LYDIA, Mar 14, 1pm". BroadwayWorld. 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  10. ^ "After Lydia". www.history-of-tango.com. 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  11. ^ "Recent shows". Book by Denniston. Christine Denniston. Retrieved 28 September 2014.