A NEW PLAY TO PREMIERE AT
THE EPSTEIN THEATRE ABOUT
JOHN LENNON'S MISSING
BANJO - THE GREATEST
MYSTERY IN POP MUSIC
From the writer of the stage play adaptation
of Helen Forrester’s ‘Twopence to Cross the
Mersey’ comes a brand-new comedy about
the disappearance of Lennon’s first musical
instrument.
The play is based on the 2012 novel ‘Julia’s Banjo’
by Rob Fennah and Helen A Jones and will mark
the 60th anniversary of Julia Lennon’s death and
the disappearance of the banjo she taught her
son to play.
Produced by Pulse Records Ltd in association
with Bill Elms, Lennon’s Banjo will open at
Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre on Tuesday 24th
April 2018 for a two-week run until Saturday 5th
May.
"The very first tune I ever learned to play was 'That'll Be
The Day'. My mother Julia taught it to me on the banjo,
sitting there with endless patience until I managed to
work out all the chords." JOHN LENNON
would still leave numerous contenders to choose from and that’s where
the search would inevitably grind to a halt. Or would it?
Alright, so John Lennon’s signature might not be emblazoned across it
but with today’s forensic technology it would certainly be possible to
confirm provenance if John or Julia had left behind, say, a fingerprint or
perhaps a strand of hair. Although this idea may seem a little far-fetched,
it is not as outlandish as it sounds. Lennon’s Gallotone Champion
acoustic guitar was authenticated, prior to its sale at Sotheby’s in 1999,
by a drop of his blood! Original Quarrymen member, Rod Davis,
recounts:
“John took the skin off the edge of his index finger while playing at St
Peter’s Parish Féte in Woolton (1957). I remember seeing the bloodstain
inside Lennon’s guitar while I was changing one of the strings. When
Sotheby’s contacted me about authentication I told them about it and,
although faint, the bloodstain was still there.”
The mystery surrounding Lennon’s missing banjo is still relatively
unknown but as the news filters out no doubt hundreds will crawl out of
the woodwork claiming to possess it. Could it still be out there having
been stashed away for safe keeping and then forgotten about? Of course
it could; that’s what happens with memorabilia; hey, we’ve all watched
the Antiques Roadshow!
So, with that in mind, let’s raise a glass to Julia, John and the banjo that
made it all possible. Without them, the world would have been a much
quieter place.
Set in present day Liverpool: When Beatles
tour guide Barry Seddon finds a letter written
by John Lennon he unearths a clue to the
solving the greatest mystery in pop history
- the whereabouts of Lennon's first musical
instrument which has been missing for 60
years. But Barry's loose tongue alerts Texan
dealer, Travis Lawson, to the priceless relic. In
an attempt to get his hands on the letter and
the clues within he persuades his beautiful wife,
Cheryl, to befriend the hapless tour guide and
win his affections. The race for the holy grail of
pop memorabilia is on!
Co-producer Bill Elms said: “The story is so true
to life that the audience will leave the theatre
secretly planning their own search for the
missing banjo. It's The Beatles meet the Da Vinci
Code, an hilarious treasure hunt romp through
Beatledom."
Missing for 60 years… The holy grail of pop is
now worth millions to whoever finds it!
BOOKING INFORMATION:
Lennon’s Banjo, Epstein Theatre
Tue 24th April – Sat 5th May 2018
Tickets are now on sale at:
www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk, 0844 888 4411
or in person at Hanover Street, Liverpool, L1
3DZ, Mon-Thu 2pm-6pm, Fri & Sat 12pm-6pm
www.ticketquarter.co.uk, 0844 8000 410 or in
person at Echo Arena Box Office, Kings Dock,
Liverpool.
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