ABOUT THE MAGIC THEATRE   The Magic Theatre are Dan Popplewell and Sophia Churney.   As front-people in Ooberman they’ve had significant UK success including chart hits, selling 50,000 records and many accolades including an NME Award, Times Single of the Year and many key Glastonbury Appearances.  Prominent champions have included John Peel (2 sessions recorded for him), Graham Coxon (Blur), James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers) and Mark Radcliffe (Radio 2).   Between various other things (Dan’s forged a career in film and TV composing, while Sophia has been studying for a Doctorate in Psychology), they’ve been busy hatching the Magic Theatre plot – a concept album featuring time-travel, orchestras and classic pop songs.		ABOUT LONDON TOWN   The album concept developed over 4 years of discussions, plans and songwriting, culminating in orchestral recordings with The Slovak Radio Orchestra and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir.   The album is a time-travel love story set in 1968 and 1888, where the young 60s hero falls through a hole in time in The Magic Theatre in the Old Victorian Steam fair, to find his one true love in 1880’s London.   The songs follow the story one chapter at a time, charting their meeting and ultimate tragic separation.   But beyond the story the album is many other things.    It is a reflection on love, loss, growing old and acceptance set against a metaphorical backdrop of the changing seasons.  With spring comes optimism and youth; summer comes with love and togetherness; autumn brings uncertainty and loss and finally comes winter and old age but also acceptance.		Musically the sounds are chosen from those of 1968 and 1888, synthesized into a natural and timeless emotional halo.   It also marks a pinnacle of achievement for Dan and Sophia – after 20 years’ recording experience, an end to experiments; the chance to look back and finally show the best of what they’ve learned and what they love in a focused, concentrated form.  In the process they’ve created the best productions, songs, tunes and lyrics of their lives, where the meaning of the words is fully woven into the nuances of music and sound.   The album also marks a set of career-defining vocal performances from Sophia – her considerable potential now dazzling with a new radiance and power.   This was a labour of love, a monumentally ambitious achievement, Dan and Sophie’s stab at artistic immortality.   And, it’s 11 great songs.  Enjoy!