Buried began as a passing comment shared between Tom Williams and Cordelia O’Driscoll, midway through their final year at the University of Sheffield in 2017. Having seen other students go to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in previous years, they thought it might be fun to write something themselves to take up. So, understandably, they decided to write a folk and jazz inspired musical about serial killers. 

 

After signing their names on the dotted line to take up a show they hadn’t yet written, only called ‘Buried’ as means of a working title to put on the Edinburgh application form, the show began to take shape. Writing began in February 2017 with Tom focusing on the book and Cordelia on the music, but collaborating on lyrics. As more songs were written, the story and structure followed suit, the music and book very much developing in tandem, and via total collaboration between Tom and Cordelia. The show was cast the following month with a group of extremely talented fellow Sheffield students, and after battling to the end of their degrees, Edinburgh was upon the cast and crew. 

 

With the only real aim of the Fringe being to have fun, break even and maybe gain a bit of exposure, the success of Buried was a very welcome shock to all involved. The show sold out 23 consecutive performances of a 155 seater theatre and received great reviews, including 5 stars from Broadway Baby -"This musical is everything you could ever want from a musical theatre experience” -  5 stars from Musical Theatre Review -"Buried is something we are all looking for – one of those nuggets that is waiting to be found” - and 4 stars from Fest Mag. British Theatre called the show "perversely charming and entertaining", remarking on the "richly melodic and soulful” score, and Paul Vale from The Stage said the songs were 'some of the best you will possibly hear in Edinburgh’. The show also won the Sunday Times National Student Drama Festival Edinburgh award, which has provided the London transfer to the Pleasance Theatre in Islington from 10th April 2018 - 15th April 2018. 

 

Tom and Cordelia are still overwhelmed and incredibly grateful for the response they’ve received for their debut show, and would like to thank the cast, crew and everyone who has contributed to the success of Buried’s first steps for their help and dedication, and for taking a chance on the enthusiasm and imagination of two young writers.

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-Cordelia