New homegrown travelling musical – Mountains of the Moon

An all-new family friendly musical, Mountains of the Moon, is coming to Chesterfield and surrounding area from Saturday 26 October – Friday 1 November. The story revolves around the plight of a group of animals who are thirsty as their river has dried up and who must work together to figure out a way to get the rain to fall, so that they can survive.

Created by Ashgate Heritage Arts (AHA), the team behind The Crooked Spire musical, the high-energy show revolves around the adventures of Monkey, Owl, Gecko, Bat and Camel. Together the animals hatch a plan to find the ‘Rain God’ and call upon the ‘Honeybird’ to make him cry, in order to fill their river up again.

The show brings together age-old folklore with modern-day concerns about climate change, as the hapless chums pursue their quest to save themselves from perishing. The hour-long show is packed with songs, witty banter and plenty of laughs as the animals reveal their foibles and unique personalities.

Martin Coslett. Producer at AHA, explained: “We were inspired by African folklore and other fables which centre on respecting the animal kingdom and their place on the planet. There’s a lot modern audiences can learn from these fables, as well as the core message of putting aside differences to come up with solutions.

“Climate change is having a devasting effect on our wildlife and we know that young people, in particular, are worried about the future of the planet. We hope that the show will help reduce some of that anxiety – at least for an hour – whilst showing that we all play a part in making a difference.”

The show was successfully previewed at the Buxton Fringe in 2023, where it won two awards for Best Children’s Show and Best Youth Actor, scooped by Chesterfield’s own Eddie Waller, then aged 12.

Eddie has recently completed filming for a feature film due to go on national release in 2025, but the details are closely under wraps until publicity officially starts. Until then, Chesterfield audiences can catch Eddie reprising his role as Gecko, albeit with a slightly lower voice this time around!

He said: “I love playing Gecko – he’s a determined character, always passionate about everything that he does. He wants to make sure his voice is heard and obviously in this case, he wants to make sure that all the animals get the water for him and everyone else. I also like that he’s very funny but also really smart at the same time.”

Martin Coslett first came up with the story whilst studying for an MA in Writing Musicals at Mountview Theatre School in London six years ago. Martin wrote the music and script for the show together with Thomas Forbes Briscombe and it was arranged by musical director Harry Style (not to be confused with Harry Styles, of One Direction fame!), who previously worked on The Crooked Spire musical with AHA.

Thanks to funding from Chesterfield Borough Council, via its Community Fund, the production is being performed live at six local community venues in Chesterfield as well as Bakewell Town Hall and Matlock Bath Grand Pavilion, following a series of special performances in five local primary schools. There are also workshops following the performances at various venues including Loundsley Green Community Centre for those who want to further explore the themes in the show and have a go at acting themselves.

The show’s Director, Frazer Meakin, who has recently worked on Deathdrop: Back in The Habit, starring performers from Ru Paul’s Drag Race and which has toured the UK, including the West End, said: “The show has a playful energy and sparks the audience’s imagination. The combination of music, dance, and drama creates an immersive experience that allows people to connect with the story on multiple levels, making it both memorable and impactful.”

Tickets start at £10 with discounts at some venues. Check the venue for details.

Show dates are:

Sat 26 October, 2.00pm – Church of Jesus Christ, Stonegravels, Sheffield Road S41 7GZ

Mon 28 October, 1.30pm – Loundsley Green Community Centre, Cutthorpe Road, Chesterfield S40 4QU

Tues 29^th October 2.00pm Speedwell rooms, Inkersall Road  Staveley S43 3JL

Wed 30^th October 11.00am Chesterfield College Theatre Sheffield Road Chesterfield S41 7LL

Wed 30^th October 6pm Bakewell Town Hall The Square Bakewell DE45 1BT

Fri 1^st November 6pm Matlock Bath Grand Pavilion South Parade Matlock Bath DE43NR

Sat 2^nd November 2pm Whittington Moor Methodist Church Scarsdale Road Whittington Moor S41 8NA

Sun 3^rd November 2pm Rose Theatre-Chesterfield Studios Eastwood Bldgs, Rose Hill Chesterfield S40 1LW

Tickets are available from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/ashgateheritagearts

Box office: 0333 666 3366

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