Story in song
The preview of Regent’s Canal –
a Folk Opera was performed on
13 July at the London Canal
Museum by the Musical Flying
Squad and London Irish Theatre.
The fast-paced drama featured
engineering challenges, legal
machinations, money troubles,
tragedy and scandal.
The venue and timing were
uniquely appropriate and helped
whisk the audience back two
centuries.
Architect and canal promoter
John Nash, engineer James
Morgan and Counsellor William
Agar – the local landowner who
vehemently opposed the canal
being run through his land –
were brought to life by Kai
Simmons, Andrew Boxer and Ian
Macnaughton.
Also on hand were dramatist
Rob Inglis, musical director and
arranger Bob Stuckey, director
John Dunne, guitarist Dominic
Ashworth and Cathy Aitcheon,
who managed publicity and
administration.
The event was attended by
members of the King’s Cross
Business Partnership, who
returned from a walk along the
canal as the curtain went up.
The theatre bar, alongside the
museum’s ice supply heritage
collection, and offshore
victualling from a mooring
anchored the after-show
gathering.The sheltered quay
proved ideal for socialising into
the night.

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society
Autumn 2012 Vol 2 No 3 p18

http://www.clcomms.com/iahs/201113/IAHS-autumn-2012-web.pdf