Projects

'Amazing Grace'

A musical based on the events surrounding the 1904-5 Welsh Religious Revival.

Premiered Spring 2005.Returned to theatres in a brand new production in Autumn 2006. See website for details

'Contender'

A new musical still under development, based on the life of boxer Tommy Farr. An album of songs from the show has now been released and a full stage show will premiere in the spring of 2007. See the Contender minisite for details.

Amazing Grace

In 2003 Mal Pope started thinking about the centenary of the 1904 Welsh Revival and the more he read around the subject the more he became convinced that the story could be the basis of a concept album and also a piece of musical theatre for the stage. The central character is a 26 year old ex miner called Evan Roberts who claimed to have spoken face to face with the Almighty in his little bedroom in Loughor, just on the outskirts of Swansea. He also told people he had seen a cheque being handed over which bore the sum of 100,000 souls. Many dismissed these as the ramblings of a troubled mind but within 18 months the Western Mail had calculated that more than 100,000 souls had indeed been added to the church. The strain proved too much for Evan and he sadly left Wales and the Revival to become a recluse.

Contender

From the boxing booths of the Rhondda to a World Title fight against Joe Louis at Yankee Stadium. This is the rags to riches story of one of the bravest men to enter the ring. After making his fortune in America, the war and a series of personal tragedies left him penniless. With a young family and mounting debts there is only one way out. It's the only thing he knows. At the age of 37 he only has one option, to get back into the ring....