Only You Can Save Mankind

Book and Lyrics by Shaun McKenna

Based on the novel by Terry Pratchett

Music by Leighton James House

Produced by Sarah Broadhurst

Johnny Maxwell is an unhappy teenage boy whose parents are breaking up.  

He takes refuge in computer games - but, to his horror, cyberspace and reality collide when the Crocodile-like Captain of the Scree Wee ship starts talking to him, suing for peace and an escort home. 

Johnny and his friends - together with the feisty fellow-player Kirsty - have to find a way to stop the world being destroyed by the rebellious Gunnery Officer and lead the Scree Wee home to their own planet.

The first professional production was at the Pleasance, Edinburgh during the 2004 Edinburgh festival.  

It was directed by Christian Durham, with Musical Staging by Dawn Buckland, Musical Supervision and Arrangements by John Rigby and Musical Director Laurie Perkins. 

The cast included Bennett Andrews, Tim Frater, Jonathan Glew, Ashleigh Gray, Richard Hartley, Ben Heathcote and Lucy Walker.

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If I’d known it would be this good, I’d have written a better book.”

Sir Terry Pratchett

Only You Can Save Mankind Edinburgh Poster

In 2009, an online album of key songs from the show was released, sung by great West End singers including Daniel Boys, Sharon D Clarke, Zubin Varla, Zoe Martlew, Ricardo Afonso and Oliver Tompsett.

 

The album was produced by Neil Brock with orchestrations by Tom Deering.  It was engineered by Rupert Coulson.

Songs from Only You Can Save Mankind