A New Musical
Adapted from the book by Nicolas Bowling

In Development

BEAM 2023 New Musicals Showcase
Scottish Musicals Commission Hub 2024

An unforgettable journey to save the world with a song…

Song of the Far Isles is a new Scottish musical set in a folk-fantasy world where everyone is born with a Birth Instrument. The Islanders live and breathe music and when their way of life is threatened by an Order of Silence, it is our young hero Oran, best player on the island, who must go in search of a way to bring music back to the world.

Audiences will be immersed in the world of The Far Isles; rich with its own traditions and folklore- magical, atmospheric and exciting. The story is full of adventure and humour, and at the show’s heart is a resonate message about the awesome and transformative power of music, and how creativity can be a lifeline to us all.

Our songs take inspiration from Scottish folk music, which forms part of our composers’ own heritage. We want the audience to experience the magic of live music played on a variety of instruments, with all the spirit and energy of a wild ceilidh. It’s a tradition where music and song is woven into everyday life- telling old stories through song that traverse generations, celebrating shared experience.

What Birth Instrument is yours? Take the Quiz

The idea was first pitched as part of BEAM 2023 at Oxford Playhouse. In 2024 the show was chosen for the Scottish Musicals Commissioning Hub (supported by Capital Theatres and Pitlochry Festival Theatre). In late 2025 we completed a fuller R&D (supported by Capital Theatres, Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Creative Scotland) which resulted in the first draft.

For more information please contact matt@goblintheatre.co.uk

Photos below are from Scottish Musicals Commission Hub 2024 R&D (Capital Theatres, Edinburgh & Pitlochry Festival Theatre) photos by Andrew Perry