The Trumpet & the King
In 1501, John Blanke, a young black musician of exceptional talent, left the ancient city of Granada and made is his way to the court of Henry VII of England. There he forged a surprising musical bond with the boy who would become the infamous Henry VIII.
This powerful Tudor coming-of-age story, developed in Northern Ireland and toured through 2022 and 2023, will now tour England in autumn 2026 - spring 2027 featuring Emmanuel Olusanya and Sam Claridge.
Fejiro Emasiobi and Sam Claridge as John Blanke and Prince Henry. Photo credit: Neil Harrison.
Written by Artistic Director Andrea Montgomery following more than three years of research and hundreds of hours of brainstorming and joyful engagement with the Terra Nova network across the globe, The Trumpet & The King is a play about the longing to belong, about friendship across cultural and religious divides, and how art can give us hope of connection, communion and understanding. It’s also about young men trying to figure out life, women, and what to do when talent confronts the naked face of power.
To talk to us about booking email andrea@terranovaproductions.net.
The piece was developed through more than two years of workshop exploration with the Terra Nova community and its strengths are the strengths of many perspectives. Here are just a few images from that process.
This project has been supported by a range of funders, including funders who supported early R&D, and we would like to express our gratitude to all of them. The project would not be where it is without the generous enthusiasm, commitment and gift of the time of participants.