Who we are?
The organisation was formed in March 1999 and has achieved a reputation for producing new and challenging works. Balagan works with children aged between 9 and 18, recruited mainly from schools in the London Borough of Lambeth.
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What we do?
The objects for which the charity was established are to:(a) encourage, promote, maintain, improve and advance education and participation in music and drama for children and young people;
(b) develop and disseminate new musical repertoire for schools.
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Links
Musicnow.co.ukComposer.co.ukBoosey.comStudioredgables.comIguanastudio.co.ukMySpaceTobicomix.co.uk
Marc Forde
Marc Forde was born in Hampshire and started learning the piano at the age of 6. He graduated from Keele University, then moved to London, acting in theatre companies, and playing piano in Soho. A chance conversation with a friend in 1986 convinced him to pack a bag and move to Paris to learn French and play jazz. Whilst performing back in London in 1988, he met tap dancer Tobias Tak, then newly arrived from Holland. With him he toured Britain and Europe various times, as well as performing sessions with other bands.
In 1989, he began working for Musicworks, a community music organisation in Brixton, teaching piano to adults and children, ran band workshops, taught songwriting, theory, etc. Around the same time, Marc was also invited by the Home Office to run a drugs awareness project for primary school children, in which the children wrote songs based on what they knew about drugs and the issues surrounding them. This project turned out to be very successful (until funding was cut), visiting over 35 schools in south London and was featured on the BBC's Children In Need Appeal.
In 1994, he began to write Orpheus, for schools after getting tired of being asked to accompany the same handful of schools' shows that had been performed since the 1960s/70s. A CD of the musical with 'Animal Magic's Johnny Morris narrating was completed in 2004, produced by musicnow in collaboration with Boosey & Hawkes. The aim, eventually, is to produce a series of musical shows that can be put on by any class teacher, no matter how developed (or not) their musical skill. It was with this in mind that he founded Balagan Theatre Company. Currently, Balagan has 2 CDs published (Orpheus and The Magick) and has another 2 almost ready for release, including The Chalk Circle, which will be out later this year (see our Shows/CDs page).
Aside from running Balagan, Marc also acts and will shortly be seen in the 40th anniversary production of Sondheim's 'Follies' at the Pleasance Theatre from May 31st - June 11th.
Latest Releases
The Magick
The Magick (by Marc Forde), was a piece inspired by a painting by the Argentine artist Carybé, The Death of Alexandrina (A Morte de Alexandrina). It concerns the life of an adolescent girl (Alex) who discovers that she has magical powers.