{{Short description|Musical about Wilfred Owen}} {{Infobox Musical |name= Bullets and Daffodils |subtitle= The Wilfred Owen Story |image= Jermynstcast.jpg |caption= The principal cast with Dean Johnson at the Jermyn Street Theatre in London's West End. |music= Dean Johnson <ref name="citadel">{{cite web|url=http://www.citadel.org.uk/whats-on/bullets-and-daffodils-p306811|title=Bullets and Daffodils|author=The Citadel|accessdate=23 July 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121223202238/http://www.citadel.org.uk/whats-on/bullets-and-daffodils-p306811|archivedate=23 December 2012}}</ref> |lyrics= Wilfred Owen, Dean Johnson |book= Dean Johnson |basis= |productions= Birkenhead<br>2010 Birkenhead Central Library <br> West End <br> 2012 Jermyn Street Theatre <!-- Please do not include production-specific (acting, directing, etc.) awards --> |awards= }} '''''Bullets and Daffodils''''' is a musical about the life of the war poet Wilfred Owen, created by musician and composer Dean Johnson and directed by Dean Sullivan.<ref name="dailypost">{{cite web|url=http://www.wilfredowenstory.com/welshdailypost.pdf|title=Bullet Points|author=Welsh Daily Post|date=17 February 2012|accessdate=23 July 2012|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305071735/http://www.wilfredowenstory.com/welshdailypost.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The musical is based on Owen's poems set to music by Johnson, with the addition of new songs written by Johnson to help narrate the story of Owen's life.
==Performances== Johnson attended the Birkenhead Institute as Owen had done previously<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freewebs.com/birkenheadinstitute/wilfredowen.htm|title=Wilfred Owen - Spirit of Birkenhead Institute|accessdate=25 July 2012}}</ref> and had become influenced by his poetry during his teenage years.<ref name="dailypost" /> The first performance of the musical was in 2010 at the Birkenhead Central Library,<ref name="wirralglobe">{{cite web|url=http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/9834035.Wilfred_Owen_musical_is_a_West_End_sell_out/|title=Wilfred Owen musical is a West End sell out|author=Wirral Globe|accessdate=25 July 2012}}</ref> and subsequently moved to the Lyceum Theatre in Port Sunlight, Wirral, narrated by Sullivan.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-14880566|title=Brookside star directs Wilfred Owen musical drama|author=BBC News|date=13 September 2011|accessdate=23 July 2012}}</ref>
The musical moved to the Forum Theatre in Chester in March 2012, including contributions from John Gorman and David Gilmour.<ref name="official">{{cite web|url=http://www.wilfredowenstory.com/bulletsanddaffs.html|title=Bullets and Daffodils|accessdate=23 July 2012}}</ref>
On 9 June 2012, a preview of the West End's performance took place at Fort Perch Rock in New Brighton, featuring Chloe Torpey as Susan Owen, Phil Gwilliam and Charlotte Roberts. Danny Morris made a special guest appearance playing the part of Wilfred Owen.<ref name="official"/><ref name="Best Kept Secrets">{{cite web |url=http://www.bestkeptsecrets.biz/2012/06/review-bullets-daffodils-at-fort-perch.html |title=Review: Bullets & Daffodils at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton |accessdate=27 July 2012}}</ref>
The London première of the musical occurred on 29 July 2012 in the Jermyn Street Theatre, London, directed by Illy Hill<ref name="official" /> and featuring Christopher Timothy and Wet Wet Wet's Graeme Clark.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wirralnews.co.uk/entertainment-wirral/news-reviews/2012/04/11/wet-wet-wet-bassist-to-make-west-end-debut-in-wirral-musician-s-musical-about-war-poet-wilfred-owen-80491-30730869/|title=Wet Wet Wet bassist to make West End debut in Wirral musician’s musical about war poet Wilfred Owen|author=Wirral News|date=11 April 2012|accessdate=23 July 2012}}</ref>
A UK tour based around places that Wilfred Owen visited or stayed in during his lifetime was organised for Autumn 2012 with dates in Blackpool, Stratford upon Avon, Dunsden, Oswestry, Heswall, Nelson and Ripon.<ref>{{cite web|last=Breeze|first=Paul|title=Paul & Lucy's Best Kept Secrets|url=http://www.bestkeptsecrets.biz/2012/07/wilfred-owen-was-here-autumn-2012-tour.html|work=News Item|publisher=Posh Up North Publishing|accessdate=27 July 2012}}</ref> In October, the musical was performed at Dunsden Green, Oxfordshire, where Owen lived from September 1911 to February 1913.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/entertainment/ent.php?id=1167713|title=Wilfred Owen life to be re-enacted|author=Henley Standard|accessdate=8 October 2012}}{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
==Reception== ''Time Out'' described the musical as "Bizarre and intriguing, in equal parts."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/event/270824/bullets-and-daffodils|title=Bullets and Daffodils|work=Time Out|accessdate=24 July 2012}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== * [http://www.wilfredowenstory.com/bulletsanddaffs.html Official Site]
Category:British musicals Category:2012 musicals