Watch: New musical Starter For Ten – music video

Producers of brand new British musical Starter For Ten have released a music video of one of the songs from the show.

‘Touched by an Angel’ is the first track released for the show, which gets its world premiere production at Bristol Old Vic in February 2024.

The song has lead vocals by Adam Bregman as Brian, and Emily Lane as Alice, and the video is by JAM+POST, with music production by Jon Rasmussen.

Based on the novel by bestselling author David Nicholls (One Day, Us), Starter for Ten has an 80s-inspired original score and lyrics by queer, pop-punk composers Tom Rasmussen and Hatty Carman.

David Nicholls’ coming-of-age novel was turned into a hit 2006 film starring James McAvoy, Benedict Cumberbatch, James Corden and Rebecca Hall.

A tale of love, class and growing up in the 1980s, set in Bristol against the backdrop of legendary British quiz show University Challenge, the show stars Adam Bregman (The Effects of Lying) in the lead role of Brian, with Eubha Akilade (Find Me in Paris) as Rebecca, Stephenson Ardern-Sodje (Rock Follies, The Lion King) as Spencer, Miracle Chance (The Witches) as Lucy, Emily Lane (Frozen The Musical, The Sound of Music) as Alice, and Will Jennings (Les Miserables, The Mousetrap) as Patrick.

Further casting is to be announced soon.

Starter For Ten - Bristol Old Vic. Starter For Ten cast - Photo by Oliver Rosser, Feast Creative — *Starter For Ten cast – Photo by Oliver Rosser, Feast Creative*

Starter for Ten has book and lyrics co-written by Emma Hall and Charlie Parham, Artistic Directors of Antic Productions. The show is directed by Charlie Parham, choreographed by Shelley Maxwell, with set and costume design by Olivier Award-nominee Frankie Bradshaw, sound design by Gregory Clarke and casting by Will Burton for GBC.

Composers Tom Rasmussen and Hatty Carman said in a statement: “When we began thinking about the music that would soundtrack our adaptation of David Nicholls’s Starter For Ten, we started in the pages of the book. It’s a text totally rich with music from when the book is set—1985—and each character has their own specific musical tastes, which, as music does, illuminates their internal worlds so brilliantly. It made sense that Brian, our lead and a could-be working class hero, is into The Cure, The Smiths, Kate Bush. Yes, it’s ‘80s — and it’s British. So often when we think of ‘80s music we think of gloss, of late ‘80s glamour. But Starter for Ten is a total love letter to the subcultures of the early eighties, from post-punk to the New Romantics. It’s about experimental synths, drum machines, and of course—the musician’s greatest weapon—the guitar. The first track we’re releasing from the show — ‘Touched by an Angel’ — is when Brian sees the supposed girl of his dreams for the first time. It’s the punk ballad of a lovesick Essex Boy, one who loves to quote Brontë.”

Starter for Ten is produced by Antic Productions, Bristol Old Vic, Longshot Films and Playtone, and runs at the Bristol Old Vic from 29 February to 30 March 2024.

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Main photo: Starter For Ten - Adam Bregman singing Touched by an Angel