Press Release: The Crystal Egg

London-based production company Old Lamp Entertainment is pleased to announce that its debut production for 2017 is now in development and crowdfunding. Stepping onto the streets of period London, the company will present an adaptation of visionary author H. G. Wells short story ‘The Crystal Egg’. It is considered by many literary experts and fans of the author’s work to be a prequel to the hugely popular ‘The War of the Worlds’.

The story is centred on an old curiosity shop in the slums of London's Seven Dials, which is run by an eccentric old man and his dysfunctional family. They discover that a small crystal egg in their possession serves as a window onto another world, and is being used in surveillance of Earth.

The show will fuse multiple art forms in light, sound, performance, and video in a multimedia extravaganza, to take audience members on an experience through the sights and sounds of the story and bring them face to face with Wells' creatures of another world.

Old Lamp Entertainment director and producer, Mike Archer says of the project: “I’m a huge fan of H. G. Wells’ writing. Ever since watching the 1950's 'War of the Worlds' whilst growing up, the story had a profound effect on me. Wells is skilled at stimulating the imagination; one of the great writers of the early 20th Century. For me, working to create a show inspired by his works is a dream come true. 'War of the Worlds' is culturally significant. With 'The Crystal Egg' we want to open out the story to a whole new generation of people and create an invasion story for the now. The works of Wells are as relevant as ever. In bringing the story to life, we are examining themes of surveillance and greed, whereby we don’t quite know who is watching us or from where."

Co- producer Luisa Guerreiro is quick to point out: “People want more from shows. We want to push the boundaries of what can be achieved, and deliver a show that gives an audience a cinematic quality to a theatrical experience.”

The project has already gained a huge following of support. On 21st September 2016 Old Lamp Entertainment is set to launch a crowd funding campaign, in partnership with entertainment supporter 'Phundee'. Ashon Spooner, Phundee's director said of the project: "At Phundee, we believe every project should be shareable with its backers. 'The Crystal Egg' aims to be an immersive experience, allowing its audience to feel a part of the narrative and share in a collective experience. Phundee's mission is to empower the next generation of entertainment makers, and the team behind 'The Crystal Egg' are a perfect example of this."
Since bursting onto the scene in 2011, Old Lamps has continued to grow, with two separate entities dealing in both theatre and film (Old Lamp Films) The company's first film 'The Journey of Alfred Small' debuted online in 2015 to critical and audience acclamation after receiving award nominations for 'Best Ensemble Cast' at the March Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards. Mike, whose extensive list of credits across stage and screen includes 'Easy Virtue' (starring Jessica Biel and Colin Firth) and Oscar-winning 'The King's Speech' added: "I can't sit still. I need to be doing projects. As an actor, you spend a lot of time finding the next job, but that doesn't sit well with me. So I started Old Lamp Films to tell the stories I want to tell. We're working on some fantastic projects, including feature film 'Berners Street', to be directed by the wonderful and exciting Helen O' Hanlon."

Anyone interested in 'The Crystal Egg' should check out Old Lamp Entertainment's website and to subscribe to the community to learn more about the production. Website - www.oldlamp.biz Production Page - http://www.oldlamp.biz/the-crystal-egg and to invest in the project and earn some amazing perks please go to the productions Phundee page at https://www.phundee.com/reward/campaign/the-crystal-egg-old-lamp-entertainment