Photos: Upstairs at the Gatehouse Shares DEATH ON THE THRONE Rehearsal Photos

With a live four-piece rock band, wacky puppets and hints of Avenue Q, the hilarious new musical that is far from bog-standard, Death on the Throne is coming to the Upstairs at the Gatehouse from 26th March. Take a look at the new rehearsal photos below!

Featuring a captivating live score from German pop-rock star Tobias Künzel (of Die Prinzen) and British Screenwriter Mark Underwood (Forget Me Not, Quicksilver Pictures), this eccentric comedy musical will cleverly blend wit and surrealism.

The show tells the story of a mischievous child, Louise—determined to stay awake—convinces her father to tell her a bedtime story. This simple tale swirls into an unforgettable adventure where four puppets die on the ‘throne’ and find themselves in a purgatory like you’ve never seen before—a celestial lavatory.

With four new arrivals but only three spots in the afterlife, St. Peter is barely keeping his head above water. As each soul pleads their case for a second chance on Earth, ‘help’ arrives in the form of the King of Rock and (toilet) Roll, Elvis Presley and, yes, you guessed it, former leader of the German Democratic Republic, Erich Honecker. With further assistance from Queen Elizabeth II, Maggie Thatcher and Mahatma Gandhi.

With direction and choreography from Blair Anderson (Trompe L'Oeil and Chase, The Other Palace), the production touches upon highly relevant themes today, and search for new meanings whilst highlighting the power of visceral storytelling and human connection. 

Photo credit: Dana Barthel