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Outcry over 'poor taste' musical on kidnapping case

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date14 June 2022
The frontman of a comedy punk outfit said it was healthy to 'break down taboos' by creating comedy around topics that can be 'really bleak.'

' He said some of the criticisms of 'Shannon Matthews The Musical' could be taken with a 'pinch of sal',' particularly from those who had not seen the musical.

Dewsbury Conservative MP Mark Eastwood, who helped search for missing Shannon in 2008, said the musical 'does seem to be in incredibly poor taste', while Dewsbury Labour councillor Mussarat Pervaiz said it was 'disgusting' and not something to be joked about.

the musical includes 12 songs including 'Can't Work, Won't Work',' 'Different Dads' and 'Meet the Matthews' The frontman has now responded to questions put to him by The Examiner ahead of shows at the Lending Room, Leeds, and the Edinburgh Fringe. ¦ ¦ Why did you decide to write a musical about this child kidnapping case?

It wasn't as cut and dried as that. I'm a comedy songwriter, I had never written a musical before and haven't since.

The more I saw and read about the case the more extraordinary it seemed, and I just kept getting ideas come to me, which even if it's something I might not use, I always try to note down.

Eventually, after a few months, there was a tipping point when I realised there were enough ideas to join together and make something and it was then I decided to commit to it.

¦How do you justify making jokes out of such a tragic case?

I am firmly of the belief that when you joke about things you break down taboos and it...

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