

Mon 28 Sept
|Charing Cross Theatre
Franz & Marie (Musical)
An indie-folk musical retelling of Büchner's Woyzeck, played by fourteen actor-musicians. Franz is a soldier stuck in an isolated outpost, seeing fire in the sky and working himself into the ground for his girlfriend Marie and their baby. The score is by Chris Broderick and Rob Shepherd of Kentish cult band The Singing Loins, and it was first commissioned two decades ago by the Korean company Acom, who co-produce this London premiere. Directed by Michael Oakley, adapted by Teresa Howard.
Time & Location
28 Sept 2026, 19:30 – 14 Nov 2026, 19:30
Charing Cross Theatre, Charing Cross Theatre, The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NL, UK
About the event
"Franz & Marie is a visceral journey into the heart of a good man broken by a bad world."
Set in the twisted world of late 19th Century European Folklore, after action on the front line a platoon of young soldiers has been stationed in an isolated outpost for months awaiting further orders. Among them is Franz Woyzeck, a man haunted by nightmares since his return. He sees fire in the sky—hallucinations that blur the line between reality and trauma. Franz lives for two people: his girlfriend Marie, and their baby, Georgie. Forbidden from taking leave during the war, they haven't been able to marry, but his devotion is absolute- he goes above and beyond to provide for Marie and his child.
"An Authentic Soul-Rattling Folk Musical"
Franz & Marie is a unique and visceral musical that breathes new life into Georg Büchner's classic German tragedy, Woyzeck, with soul-rattling Indie Raw Folk. It was originally commissioned two decades ago by the award-winning Korean company Acom and created by key members of the Kentish underground cult band, The Singing Loins. Franz & Marie is an adaptation of that Singing Loins show, reimagined with a 14 strong cast of actor-musicians.
"The brutal poetry of the ordinary man"
Directed by Michael Oakley, Franz & Marie has been adapted for the stage by Teresa Howard based on the book and lyrics by Chris Broderick, music by Rob Shepherd and Chris Broderick - The Singing Loins, arrangements, orchestrations and, additional music by Steven Edis, choreography by Ben Wright, lighting design by Christopher Nairne and sound design by Andrew Johnson and Oscar Cotran with design by Bretta Gerecke. Fight Choreographer: Ronin Traynor.
Dates & Times
28 SEP - 14 NOV
Mon - Sat 7.30pm
Wed matinee 2.30pm
Sat & Sun matinee 3pm
Running time: approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.
This production will include haze, smoke, strobe and adult themes.
Tickets
Premium £65.00
Stalls £37.50-57.50
Balcony £27.50
Slips £20
There is a £2.50 booking fee charged per ticket on phone and internet orders, and 50p restoration levy charged on all tickets. Box office at venue open to personal callers from 2 hours before the curtain time for every performance.
For access bookings, please call the Box Office on 08444 930 650
For access patrons arriving by car or taxi, please call us the day before the performance and we can supply an access code for Villiers Street
Tel: 08444 930 650
Find out more info or book your tickets on https://charingcrosstheatre.tixtrack.com/shop/tickets/series/FranzandMarie
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