Marc Almond and Soft Cell have announced Tainted a ground-breaking new stage musical which is being supported by an ambitious Kickstarter campaign.

“Tainted” is a brand-new piece of musical theatre with a book by Michael McManus and Charlie Ross Mackenzie, featuring songs from every stage of Marc Almond’s career, ranging from the famous to the unknown and previously unpublished.

In a world tainted by bigotry and injustice, “Tainted” is a tale of acceptance, survival and love, set in a basement space in Soho, between 1944 and our own time, where everyone and anyone can be themselves. The name of the place may change – Le Grand Guignol, Gutter Hearts, The Pink Flamingo – but the ethos never will. There is no prejudice accepted here, no hatred and no blame. Just love, live and let live.

“Tainted” has been through four workshops and private readings, including a full performance of Act 1 in February with students from the Guildford School of Acting. It will now have its first public concert performances in the Vaults Theatre, under Waterloo Station, on 24 October. There will be a special, industry matinee show and then an evening show, for the many friends, family and Marc Almond fans who have helped make this unique day possible. The showcase will feature a cast of 12 and a live 4-piece band. The director is Bryan Hodgson and the Musical Director is Matt Malone.

Michael McManus (co-writer) commented: ‘Marc Almond is one of the great narrative song-writers of our time and his songs are a perfect fit for contemporary musical theatre. Marc’s characteristic themes – exclusion and isolation, disease and desire, neon and sleaze, waifs and strays, passion, acceptance and survival – provide the backbone of this piece. Because we want to pay our actors and musicians – and have to hire a suitable space – even a one-off performance is an expensive business. We are therefore 100 per cent reliant on the support of friends, family and colleagues – and, of course, our fellow Marc Almond fans – to make this possible. Our KickStarter campaign still has two weeks to run and every contribution makes a difference.’

Matt Malone (Musical Director) commented: ‘I have been an admirer and fan of Marc Almond since the 1980s. The breadth and variety within his songbook mark him out as one of our finest contemporary song-writers. At least 30 songs have been in the score of “Tainted” at some point and I have transcribed each and every one of them, by ear, from Marc’s own recordings. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege. If, as we all hope we shall, we recruit a suitable producer and take this piece forward to a fully staged production, the songs will then be re-arranged in the styles of each era – the 1940s, the 1970s, the 1980s and contemporary.’

TAINTED KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TAINTED THE MUSICAL