Contents
Newsflash: 1916 The Musical welcomes a trio of new creatives

Sean Ferris:
Biography & Vision
Sean's aims and vision for the production

Martin Cox:
Biography & Interview
Getting to know Martin

1916 Seachtar na Cásca: Documentary
Documentary on TG4

What's happening now!Now is a very exciting time for the 1916 Musical production team and development, with the Industry Show and Tell just before Christmas. 1916 The Musical also welcomes Jane Robinson onboard.

Be part of '1916 The Musical'

Join the discussions & keep up to date with 1916 The Musical: With 1916 Productions Ltd growing rapidly, we would love to hear from you with any thoughts, comments or opinions that you may have about anything! So, get in contact with 1916 The Musical!!

Martin Cox Martin is the Executive Producer of ‘1916 The Musical’, has had an illustrious career. Martin is a director, producer and writer.

Martin Cox: Biography
Education:
Martin Cox, the executive producer of ‘1916 The Musical’, has had an illustrious career. Martin is a director, producer and writer, as well as a truly influential figure and pioneer of the digital age, as we know it today.

His roots in production began during his 12 years in radio, where he moved rapidly from the BBC World Service, to BBC Radio 2 and finally to BBC Radio 1, as Senior Producer. His career saw him producing, writing, presenting and recording as a voice over artist, producing BBC Radio 1’s Summer Roadshow and working with the likes of Terry Wogan and Sir Paul McCartney. Martin moved into film and television, setting up his own production company. His first film, ‘Les Miserables - Stage by Stage’ was made for one of the world’s most influential theatre producers, Sir Cameron Mackintosh. The pair continued to collaborate, specialising in musical theatre films for Sir Cameron’s other successful productions.

Martin has also produced and directed over 200 commercials and promos, founded one of London’s first Digital Strategy agencies, and pioneered interactive television.

1916 The Musical sees Martin return to his ultimate passion: musical theatre.

Getting to know Martin
Immediately when talking with Martin you are drawn in by his enthusiasm and absolute belief that 1916 The Musical is destined for success. “I have been involved with music through radio, film and TV all my career” says Martin, “and I would like to think I can hear a winner... this is one! The sensitivity to the subject matter, the sung through score of West End quality and the wonderful sounds and rhythms of Celtic instruments, is quite inspirational!”

A passion for the project it seems is an integral part of working at 1916 Productions Ltd, a quality which Martin emphasises stems from Creative Producer, Sean Ferris. “Sean's passion is astonishing! [1916 The Musical] is a sacred mission for him and I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to work alongside him. Between us there is a "who dares wins" belief; we work extremely well together and work at the same pace; we're a great double act!” This commitment, energy and belief that Martin speaks of evidently filters through the entire team, creating an air of inevitability that the production will be nothing less than a phenomenal success! This is evident in the willingness of everyone involved, from the creative team to the office staff, who all work as volunteers.

As an English man, who grew up in the south, Martin seems a million miles removed from the events taking place in Ireland. So how much of the conflict was Martin aware of before embarking on the project? The “troubles” were a constant part of my childhood and my memories are very profound. In our old school swimming pool we found a cache of IRA weapons. I was at school near Guildford, where two busy pubs were bombed, and I was in Knightsbridge moments before the bombing of Harrods. Parcel bombs were common place, it was part of life; it went on every day. The "troubles" seemed to have no possible chance of resolution; both sides seemed so entrenched in violence and it became something that was embedded in generations that followed. As a chorister at St Paul's Cathedral in the sixties, I remember a special service of unity for the Church of England and Catholic churches; I sat in front of Cardinal Heenan and Archbishop Michael Ramsay, as riots erupted under the dome; Ian Paisley and his supporters shouting slogans and being carried out.

Martin’s awareness of the problems in Ireland are obviously profound, however, the 1916 Easter Rising, which acted as a catalyst for the problems that Martin recalls seems a controversial backdrop to stage a musical. “We are often asked about this”, says Martin when I question him. “1916 is in no way a political crusade!.... Gone with The Wind was not a crusade for the Confederates, it was about the passion between Rhett Butler and Scarlet O'Hara, Les Misérables is about human emotions and not the campaign of civil war in France, any more than Miss Saigon was about US foreign policy in Vietnam.” The musical depicts the relationships between Bridie, her brother Ciarán, who is a fierce republican, and Harry, a British soldier, with whom she falls in love. “It is a love story and through this we learn of the events of the Rising. People will identify with the emotions of the characters, the tugs and tussles that they have with conscience and the consequences of their actions. Of course, it raises issues, but at a basic human level that transcends politics; the power of the human spirit in love and conflict.”

Along with a non-political view point, Martin is keep to emphasise that the production will deliver a message of hope to its audience: “Since the Good Friday Peace initiative, hope has grown and the process of peace has taken root in our culture. 1916 The Musical is all about that healing process and through it we can give hope to people all over the world.”

Martin’s ambition to promote an atmosphere of hope echoes Sean Ferris’ desire to create a legacy, as described earlier in the newsletter. It seams both men have the belief that this production will be truly influential. Martin explains that 1916 The Musical has already created a huge resonance and the creatives are currently in discussion with colleagues in South Africa about performing on Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, at the same time as the Irish Centenary in 2016.

Leaving the politics aside, Martin insists that the power of the story, the drama of the setting, the spectacle of the production and the emotional strength of the words and music will make 1916 The Musical a production on an epic scale. “Good theatre is about convincing audiences they have experienced something special. You should come away feeling rewarded, that's our aim, that's our passion, and already Sean and I are talking about other shows for the future that will have this at their heart.”