In October 2010, Blackshaw secured the contract to adapt the first of Mervyn Peake’s classic Gormenghast series, Titus Groan, for the stage.  We have been working on the script for almost a year now, and are ready for the first public viewing.  This WeFund project will allow us to host a reading of extracts from our script on 6th October 2011. Not only will this reading be a vital part in the script’s final development ahead of the full run (March 2012), but 100 years after his birth, it will be an event to celebrate the centenary of Mervyn Peake; poet, illustrator, playwright and visionary creator of Gormenghast.The reading will allow the writers to hear their work read by professional actors, in St Pancras Parish Church, a setting that echoes the grandeur and ritual of Gormenghast. There will be a reception after the reading where the writers can chat with the audience, actors, and crew; gathering valuable feedback on the script before it enters the final editing stage.We’ve been fundraising for the Gormenghast project since its inception, by holding themed fundraisers, as well as putting the income from our monthly New Writing Nights towards the production. We are however, running the company independently, and need your help.We believe in our work, and the original text. Gormenghast is a true modern classic with a cult following and we are determined for the script to do the book, and Mervyn Peake’s fans, justice."Having dramatised Mervyn Peake, I understand the challenges that his books present to the playwright. I am hugely excited by the enthusiastic way Blackshaw are responding to those challenges and I am following the progress of their Titus Groan with great anticipation."- Brian Sibley, writer of The History of Titus Groan, Radio 4 Classic Serial, 2011.What is Gormenghast?The Gormenghast series, or Titus books, written by artist, author and poet Mervyn Peake, are set in a timeless world with a rigid class structure, thousands of age old traditions, and one ambitious kitchen boy.  Titus Groan tells the first part of the story; the birth of Gormenghast’s heir, the descent of the Earl into madness, and Steerpike, a kitchen boy determined to better himself at all costs and who by doing so shakes Gormenghast to its very core.Filled with rich characters, detailed description and vivid imagery - the Gormenghast series is ripe for a new theatrical interpretation. About BlackshawBlackshaw is a professional theatre company dedicated to creating quality theatre, events and theatre workshops.  Formed in May 2010 in a terraced house on Blackshaw Road in Tooting, the company is a sprawling, informal association of multi-disciplinary, talented artists, helmed by Artistic Director, Eleanor Pitkin.Visit www.blackshawonline.com for more details.Find us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterSign up to our mailing list