‘Cartography’ is a chronological journey, through song and narrative, of our relationship with the land on which we live – including landowners and commoners, heaths and allotments, enclosure acts and rights (or the lack of them), Dartmoor landowners and exuberant West Country miners amongst the cast of characters.
Featuring renowned original songs including “Hallows’ Eve”, “The Old Lych Way”, “Katrina” & “The Terror”, the performers weave threads of music & words to conjure up a geographical tapestry from early Britain to the present day, showing how a series of events, individuals and legislation have moulded the rural England we know today.
Chris is a Topsham-based songwriter, composer, arranger, lyricist and multi-instrumentalist who plays the guitar, ‘cello, piano, piano accordion & mandocello. Recently he has been appointed Cultural Fellow at the University of Exeter, writing songs inspired by early modern wills, and Writer-in-Residence for Literature Works' "Quay Words", composing a series of songs inspired by the River Exe & the Exeter Ship Canal.
Renowned Devon actor Martin Reeve has taken guest roles on some of the UK’s leading series, including Little Bird, Dalziel and Pascoe, Judge John Deed, Holby City, Piggot in The Royal, and Emmerdale; he also has a PhD in the origins and development of Punch & Judy theatre.
Chris & Martin's performances at the Malthouse always sell out in advance, so early booking is advised.
“Chris Hoban… expresses, with musical skill and poetic originality, the beauty and diversity of the whole of England.” (Dame Judith Weir, Master of the King’s Music 2014-24)“Rooted… in a mystical past.” (Colin Irwin, Folk Roots)