A MUSICAL co-written by Colne teacher Anne Conlon is set to lift the lid off exploitation in the third world.

She was commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature to write the work with her long-standing collaborator Peter Rose after previous successes which have become popular among young choirs.

Miss Conlon, who teaches English at Fisher More High School, writes the lyrics and Mr Rose, head of music at St Augustine's High School, Billington, writes the music.

They have worked together for 16 years and their latest collaboration, Arabica, is about to have its northern premier.

The story behind the musical highlights the poverty and injustice suffered by workers in developing countries people in the third world working to provide consumer commodities.

Said Miss Conlon: "Our earlier work for the World Wide Fund for Nature looked at how man is affecting the environment and it became very clear to me that the issues of poverty and injustice have a greater impact on how people exist. A lot of thought and research went into the work before we even started.

"The musical is called Arabica and is about coffee because it is a commodity which demonstrates a lot of what is involved.

"It is a big and serious issue but we have done it in a humorous way and the music is very easy to listen to."

The show was premiered at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, at the end of May and received a standing ovation.

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