Christopher Wortley

 

 

Chris is a full-time songwriter. As well as a career writing pop songs for Japanese boy-bands, Chris writes for musical theatre, cabaret and revue – where he hopes to make people laugh and cry. (He has definitely achieved the former. The latter is harder - but one singer at least claims to have wept in rehearsals over Chris’ lyrics) There is, Chris feels, something almost magical about the successful marriage of words and music – something quite distinct from music alone, poetry or prose.

 

He usually writes both music and words but he also enjoys collaborating with lyricists and composers on songs and shows, producing original material to order.

 

Major projects:- 

 

-        Chris was delighted when the Children’s Laureate (2003-2005), Michael Morpurgo, gave his backing to a musical adaptation of his book, The War of Jenkins’ Ear. The show is ready for workshopping. 

 

-        Act your Age - A full-length musical farce – book written with assistance from TV writer, Brian Clemens. There have now been several productions around the country and overseas – many with sell-out performances. The show is published by www.stagescripts.com  

 

-        With BAFTA-award winning writer, Roy Apps, Chris has written The Fang Gang,  based on Roy’s popular series of books.  The title song featured on Radio4’s Go4It. The show is published by www.stagescripts.com.

 

-        Chris worked as a songwriter on the Sing-Up programme aimed at primary schools. As part of this work, The Jungle Song is published through Faber Music on the Sing-Up Song Bank www.singup.org.

 

More Generally:-

 

Chris writes cabaret/revue songs and a number of these have found their way into shows in London - including at RADA and at the Leicester Square Theatre - and in regional shows including Luton, Romsey and The New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth. Siân Phillips regularly includes his song Making Faces in her one-woman shows – one of which was televised. Chris was also invited to contribute cabaret material for the London International New Musical Theatre Festival and three of his songs were chosen by theatre group Impetuous Kinship for their 2006 tour. His songbook is published by www.dotdismus.com as part of their ‘Writers of Note’ series.

 

Chris has also worked on regular commissions for bespoke songs including a series of comic mini-operas for the touring theatre group Fingask Follies (these are now published by www.stagescripts.com) as well as comic songs for corporate events such as for Rolls Royce plc where songs replace after-dinner speaking.

 

Chris wrote the book/music/lyrics for OFSTED the Musical attracting praise from The Times - and his musical showcase revue Thwarted! at the King’s Head Theatre, Islington, played to a full house. On the strength of the show, Kit and the Widow aired two of the songs on their Radio 3 cabaret programme.

 

songs@christopherwortley.org