The Clockmaker's Daughter

The Clockmaker's Daughter is the first, acclaimed musical by composers Michael Webborn and Daniel Finn. It was first performed at the Landor Theatre, London in 2015.

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In the late 19th century, Spindlewood was home to a Clockmaker. A master of his craft, his work lauded far across the seas.

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Distraught after the untimely death of his daughter, Abraham Reed sets about capturing her image in clockwork; building a young girl so unquestionably real that even he is unable to fathom her making. On winding her, Abraham realises he has created something somewhat more than a machine. Constance, as he names her, can think… Terrified of being discovered, Abraham gives Constance one rule; to remain hidden from the outside world at all times. But the young creation, full of child-like curiosity and frustrated with her limited existence, quickly forms other plans.

 

She escapes her confines. Running into town one day, awestruck by the world, she accidentally knocks a bride-to-be’s (Amelia’s) wedding dress into the village well. Guilt-ridden, Constance panics and runs home. She decides to start work on a new dress, to right her wrong. Once completed, she sets out - once more in secret - to deliver her gift.

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She meets Will that night, the son of Spindlewood’s dressmaker (Ma’ Riley) and together they take Constance’s new dress to Amelia’s house. The following day the town is riddled with rumours. Amelia’s disaster has turned to delight, for the new dress is finer than anything, anyone has ever seen! Ma’ Riley, the seamstress responsible for the first dress, catches wind of this and vows revenge.

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After discovering the disobedience, Abraham locks Constance inside. Constance, having spoken to Will, slips through the window, choosing him and a life outside, over the wishes of her father. She’s is welcomed into Spindlewood’s society and begins to work with Amelia, making more dresses for those in town. Spindlewood, inspired, begins to prosper. At the offer of a job in the big city, Constance runs to ask Abraham if she may go. Angry and jaded, Abraham denies her. They argue and Abraham refuses to wind Constance until she will obey him once more. Distraught, Constance runs to meet Will but having stayed out too long she winds to a stop, in plain sight, in the middle of the town square…

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Spindlewood is in uproar. Abraham appears and, taking The Key, he winds his creation in front of the whole town. A town meeting is called; ‘witchcraft’ is sounded. Fear takes root in Spindlewood. Having driven the crowd into a frenzy with a series of lies, Ma’ Riley directs the mob toward Abraham’s workshop. Constance, wise enough to know her options are limited, strikes up the courage to face them. She moves to address the crowd.

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All tales must end.

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Ours does so in Present Day, where a statue of a young girl stands, fixed, in the middle of Spindlewood’s town square…