Polly! A 21st Century Love Story

New Musical - The Other Palace Theatre - Interview with Natalie Durkin and Joe Tapper

This week, The Other Palace Theatre is lucky enough to see the debut of a BRAND NEW musical that is a 21st-century Rom-Com! A comedy musical that is all about polyamorous relationships and being yourself, despite what others may expect from you. The main character of the story, Polly, is a northern girl who is taken on a journey that is sparked by the arrival of a 'Save The Date' from a cousin, and the family expects Polly to bring her boyfriend. It's time to be honest about who she is, what love makes her happy and have a relationship that suits her needs! Interested? Then, get 18th February in your diary, because you need to see this musical that is all about being authentically yourself! There will be a lot of laughs mixed with a little chaos, but this musical has a strong message about being who you are and the importance of understanding that love is not a one-size-fits-all!

It's written by the dynamic duo: book by Natalie Durkin (a comedy STAR) and music and lyrics by Joe Tapper. I'm sure the audience will be tapping their toes along to the tunes! Natalie Durkin is also starring in the show as the iconic 'Polly'. This is a show you will not want to miss! It will be something different, uplifting and empowering. The show itself will be a semi-staged workshop performance. Want to know a bit more? Of course you do! We had a Q&A with the incredible creators Natalie and Joe to share with you some more juicy details!

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Q: What is Polly About?

A: Polly is a musical about what it takes and means to learn to live and love as yourself. At its heart, it’s about love in all its messy forms, and what it means to show up honestly - especially in spaces that weren’t really built for you.

When a Save The Date (yes, that kind) arrives from cousin Luke and his fiancée Emily, everyone assumes Polly will take her boyfriend. He assumes so, too. But Polly is done pretending. This time, she wants to take her girlfriend. What could stop her?

The show plays with ideas around family expectation, visibility, and who gets to decide what a “normal” relationship looks like. Sometimes, choosing authenticity means rocking the boat.

Tonally, it sits somewhere between rom-com chaos and genuine emotional truth. It’s funny, it’s joyful, and it doesn’t tidy things up too neatly.

Q: What was your inspiration for creating this piece?

A: We were both in polyamorous relationships and realised it was absent from the canon, even though it’s such a fitting medium. As writers, we’re drawn to pieces that are representative and accessible, and we want to give a stage to voices and stories that don’t usually find themselves in the spotlight. We hope people leave the theatre excited to talk about what they’ve seen. Also - a big joyous exploration of love? Perfect for musical theatre!

Q: What do you want audiences to take away from the show? 

A: Love looks different for everyone, and that’s allowed.

Q: What have you enjoyed about creating this new piece? 

A: One of the most rewarding parts of making this work has been seeing people you might not expect feel genuinely represented and moved by it. A friend in her eighties came to a concert version and was deeply affected, which meant an enormous amount to us. We’ve also had the delight of meeting such wonderful creatives who have become such great friends of the show.

Q: Tell us a bit about the style of the music?

A: It’s a contemporary musical theatre score influenced by two Stephens and one William. While contemporary, there’s an eclectic mix of sweet romantic moments, jazzy funky moments, and nods to the Golden Age, reflecting the different individual lives of our collection of characters.

Q: Describe the show in one sentence? 

A: It’s a joy-filled laugh-out-loud queer musical about messy love, family expectations, and what it means to show up exactly as you are.

I hope to see all of you theatre lovers at this new musical! I look forward to seeing this beautiful cast bring this show to life. If you didn't manage to get tickets, as it is now SOLD OUT, keep an eye out to hear all about it, and I'm sure there will be another opportunity to see this musical soon!