Droitwich-based musician and songwriter Kurisu (aka Christopher Johnston) has been composing original music for an exciting new play which will premiere as part of 2024’s Birmingham Fest on 13th July, featuring students from the Performing Arts department at Walsall College and the BOA in Birmingham.
Georgina and the Dragon (Don’t Bet on the Prince) is an original play written by broadcaster, poet and playwright, Ian Henery about female empowerment as Georgina becomes St George, overcoming a dragon that symbolises outdated beliefs including sexism and racism.
The play is produced and directed by Laura Liptrot and supported by Black Country Stand Up To Racism, the Ming Moon Restaurant and Birmingham Chinatown Business Association.
In keeping with the theme of people living in harmony, and knowing of Kurisu’s Indian musical influences, Ian asked Kurisu to compose some sitar-based music to accompany the play.
Kurisu said, “One of the biggest inspirations I had as a teenager and one that really inspired me to take up the sitar, was a Ravi Shankar album ‘Transmigration Macabre’, (the soundtrack to a British film called Viola), so to have been asked to compose something for this play is an honour, especially as it has themes that are close to my heart and promotes peace and understanding.”
Much of the music has been written specifically for the play with Kurisu’s sitar featuring prominently bringing together a mixture of Western and Eastern influences. From hypnotic soundscapes to energetic dance numbers, Kurisu hopes his compositions will add to the positive and inspiring message of the play.
Georgina and the Dragon will be performed on the 13th July 2024 at the Birmingham Black Box Theatre, Birmingham. Kurisu’s music will also form an album entitled Non-Enslaved Minds and will be released later in July on all major digital music platforms.
