by Luke Saydon

From the submission by Luke Saydon:

The Naughty Carriage on the Orphan Train is a two-act musical written and composed by Luke Saydon. It is a cautionary tale that warns about the dangers of not being naughty. This playfully macabre musical recounts the adventures of a troupe of mischievous children who escape a train transporting them away from their homes. It's inspired by true events, and tells the story of children who are equipped with questions, mischief and naughtiness, yet must find their way in a world where curiosity is suppressed. 

The Naughty Carriage on the Orphan Train has been in development since 2018, and is written for families. A cast of six adults play all the children roles and a band of four musicians provide the music. 

The book is written as one epic nursery rhyme. Every aspect of the story is rooted in reality, but brought to life through the eyes of a child's imagination. Think the magic of Peter Pan meets a Charles Dickens world. 

The musical is currently at its first draft stage, ready to move on to the next stage of development. It's open for new creative partnerships  with directors, dramaturge, book writers, and consultants, as well as connections with theatres which can see the piece on to a workshop phase and beyond. 

The writer of The Naughty Carriage is keen to work with theatres that are connected with communities of people who know what it's like to be a passenger on the orphan train. Luke's work is informed by his work within communities. He works with organisations such as Amnesty International, Chickenshed Theatre Company, the Museum of London, dementia groups and he recently worked with child victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

The Naughty Carriage on the Orphan Train is a story of hope. How our own support system can overcome rejection and make us stronger. Collaborations with communities will guarantee an honest story that inspires, entertains and re-sparks curiosity in everyone. 

​The Orphan Train Movement ran between 1854 and 1929 in America. It relocated almost a quarter of a million children from crowded Eastern cities of the US to rural areas in the Midwest.  When the train arrived in a rural town, the orphans taken to town halls, put on display and grown-ups came to choose the ones they wanted to take home. 

Our story is about the orphans not chosen. "The naughty ones". The immigrants, the disabled, the unattractive. These children were put in the rear carriage of the train: “the naughty carriage”.

One night, a young boy drops through the roof hatch. His name is Champ, but he calls himself the naughtiest of all naughty children. He invites the orphans to escape, warning them of the life that awaits them if they remain on the train. A life with no curiosity, a life dictated by the clock, with no time for dreams. He invites them to celebrate their naughtiness, celebrate mischief and playfulness, and create their own unique stories. 

With Champ as their leader, the troupe escape. He nurtures their sparks of curiosity and imagination, so that trivial moments become fascinating adventures. The further they run from being sensible, the more they realise that, to be equipped with imagination, curiosity and naughtiness, is a special thing indeed. 

The musical was selected for presentation at the BEAM2020 industry showcase, co-produced by Musical Theatre Network and Mercury Musical Developments in partnership with Royal and Derngate, Northampton. As you are aware, the showcase was cancelled due to recent government advice and social distancing measures. 

The showcase would have been my first and biggest opportunity to present myself and my work to the UK Theatre Industry. I am from Malta and have been living in the UK for 3 years. Introducing one’s work to a foreign industry is never an easy task. This opportunity was by far the biggest platform and far-reaching opportunity to launch new creative collaborations, connect with theatres and showcase my work. 

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