a new musical
by Amy Clare Tasker
&Tom James McGrath

1-24 August, 2025
The Studio at ZOO Southside
Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Joanna is fiery and dares to speak her mind. When she unexpectedly becomes Queen, her father and husband are determined to silence her. She went down in history as Joanna the Mad; what if she wasn’t insane, but furious? SIX meets Sondheim in this dark saga inspired by Catherine of Aragon’s older sister. 

“Mmm, defiance!” – Elaine Paige on Sunday, BBC Radio 2
★★★★ “By turns funny, heartbreaking, and rage-inducing.” – Adventures in Theatreland
“McGrath’s score evokes a classic theatrical sound… lilting melodies which melt into dissonant, menacing lullabies.” – Theatre & Tonic

THE SONGS

Locked Away is a finalist for the Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize 2024.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

LION & UNICORN THEATRE 19-23 MARCH 2024: the 55-minute show ran for six performances in London with actors Natasha Hoeberigs, Brian Raftery, and Alan Vicary. Produced by Pinecone Performance Lab.

SIAMSA VARIETY NIGHT 31 AUGUST 2023: we presented a 30-minute concert reading under the title Joanna of Castile at the Toulouse Lautrec jazz club. Produced by Joe O’Neill, and featuring performers Ciara McGovern, Pearse O’Donaghue, and Brian Raftery.

CREATIVE TEAM

Tom James McGrath (book, music & lyrics) is a composer-lyricist from Tipperary, Ireland. His background is in classical and Irish folk music. He has a master’s degree in contemporary composition from Trinity College, Dublin. His musicals have been performed in the Camden Fringe, London and Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin. Tom works part-time as an NHS doctor. He is a member of the Book, Music & Lyrics workshop and Mercury Musical Developments. @TomJamesMcGrath

Amy Clare Tasker (book & lyrics) is a theatre maker and musical theatre writer. She works with her own company Pinecone Performance Lab, and with The Cockpit, where she produces the Voila! Europe Theatre Festival and the Theatre Maker artist development programme. Amy has a BA in Drama from the University of California, Irvine. She is a member of the Book, Music & Lyrics workshop, Mercury Musical Developments, and Musical Theatre Network. @AmyClareTasker