A NOVEL or NEW MUSICAL in DEVELOPMENT

 

Overview

 

Four months after their Tinder fuelled holiday romance took flight, Tally and Gilad – two thirty-something Jewish singles - are reunited in Tel Aviv. 

 

But despite hundreds of Whatsapp messages, Skype calls and a never ending emoji exchange, all is not quite as Tally had hoped. Tel Aviv is freezing. Gilad is taking eight hours to reply to texts. And there’s a gunman on the loose.

 

When the pair finally meet, the easy romance of the tropical summer is replaced by awkward conversations over coffee and cake. Hello, the Friend Zone. 

 

The trip quickly becomes a disaster and Tally can’t wait to get back to London. But one thing she hadn’t counted on was the magic of the city and the kindness – and craziness – of the Tel Aviv population. 

 

Ten lonely days stretch out before her, but suddenly they’re packed with adventures she could never have anticipated. 

 

From the married couple who advertise on their Facebook page for a new date for her, to Igor the Russian receptionist who swears he’ll take a bullet for her, Day One in Tel Aviv features a host of comedic characters and unlikely eventualities, all expertly weaved together by Natalie Blenford.

 

With searingly truthful anecdotes, Day One in Tel Aviv is a piece about life, love, heartbreak and happiness in the smartphone age, set against a backdrop of ancient Jaffa, gistening Mediterranean waters, and 24/7 city living.

 

The piece is still in development and could become a musical, a one-woman show or a novel. Natalie is open to discussions from interested collaborators, composers and publishers about the future of the work. If you're interested in helping shape the future of Day One In Tel Aviv, please contact Natalie by clicking here.

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The piece was conceived to be a musical.. The tune and lyrics came to Natalie on her way home from the very holiday described in the piece, during a particularly turbulent British Airways flight. Here is a preview of a draft version of the title track, performed exclusively by Natalie Blenford with Lee Freeman on keys, at The Union Theatre, Southwark, London, in February 2016: