Graham & Townley Productions

Stephen Graham and Hilary Townley have recently formed a new producing partnership. They have many years of experience in both theatre and other fields.

They develop their own projects as well as co-producing, advising and managing other productions.

 

Current Projects

Blodlina – The Viking Musical

Blodlina captivated audiences with its thrilling sword fights and a musical score ranging from haunting folk to heavy metal. It seamlessly blends modern themes into a story inspired by Norse mythology, creating a gripping new family musical experience.

Building on the triumph of its hour-long proof of concept at the Edinburgh Fringe 2022, the show is now being expanded into a full-length production.

“this is a show with an edge”
“This exciting show is ripe to be taken to the next stage of development”
Musical Theatre Review

“absolutely fantastic songs … total show-stoppers”
Starburst Magazine

“Feisty sword fights”
“completely captivated”

Mini-Travellers

Köln Conversations

We are working with Dorian Ford to produce a European tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary in 2025 of Keith Jarrett’s iconic 1975 Köln Concert.

Dorian Ford is an internationally acclaimed jazz pianist and he blends his passion for the brilliant original with his own inspired improvisations. Early outings of the piece have been rapturously received and this unusual and unique concert will appeal to both fans and newcomers.

Please find further details at kolnconversations.com.

VENUS AND ADONIS
by William Shakespeare

Originally presented at Edinburgh Festival Fringe August 2017 and then The Rose Playhouse, Bankside October 2017, this exciting adaptation of Shakespeares iconic poem has just completed a successful run at Riverside Studios London in May 2023. It is soon to be presented in The Verona Shakespeare Festival in August 2023.

In this dazzling one-man performance, Christopher Hunter reimagined Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis.

Written when a young man, Venus and Adonis was Shakespeare’s first published work and an instant best seller, in no small part due to its wildly erotic and powerful narrative.

During work on the production, something darker and more sinister began to be revealed.  Hunter’s exciting re-imagining of this extraordinary poetry explored the hidden themes of sexual power, lust and love and their catastrophic consequences.  Its themes are surprisingly topical and shocking.  Audiences quickly discovered that this comic, tragic and at times erotic work, published in 1593, could have been written today.

When examined through the 21st century prism, Venus and Adonis becomes the story of an innocent young boy who walks out of his front door one morning, is sexually assaulted by an older woman, and never returns home.

Riverside Studios, London 2023

“Epic. I was completely mesmerised… A fantastic hour of sheer enjoyment”
Londontheatre1

“strange, seductive and dangerous”
The Reviews Hub

“Welcome, then, to the magnificent actor / writer Christopher Hunter in a performance so captivating… one’s expectations are topped”
British Theatre Guide

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017

‘electrifying … gem of a show …’
The Times

‘… I thought I would not see anything else so finely crafted, so movingly delivered for the rest of the fringe.’
The Observer

‘… moving with seemingly complete liberation … beguiles belief that this could be anything but a modern day piece of theatre … wonderfully adapted for the stage, it is performed in a way that will grip audiences from the very outset.’
Theatre Weekly

TOO MANY BOOKS
by Judi Bevan

‘Too Many Books’ by Judi Bevan is based on the writer’s experience of adopting a baby from China. It reveals fascinating insights and is a moving story, elegantly told. Although an established journalist and author, this is Judi’s first play. It may be unusual for someone with such extensive experience to turn to theatre at this stage of their career but Judi brings a wealth of expertise to the script and it is a beautifully crafted and engaging piece of work. The ending has provoked heated debate as it touches very delicately on a controversial conversation that is just starting to be heard about adoption, about White Saviour Complex and about complicated as yet unexplored narratives of adoptees. But the play is not a polemic. It’s a touching story of a couple’s journey to adopt a baby.

We had a very successful reading of an early draft of the script and are now aiming for it to premiere in London in 2024.