Winning a scholarship to a choir school as a child was the start of a life-long love affair with music and performance for Toby. Practising from 6.30 in the morning, he was never happier than when he was on stage.

He was all set for a career as a staff writer for TV, film and musical theatre, when his travels to South East Asia in his 20s set him on a different path as an intuitive energy healer…earning him rave reviews for his ability to ease all manner of ills while still working on his own creative pursuits in the background.

“I’ve always known I’d write my own musical one day,” he says. “You might ask: why base the Gunpowder Plot on a fictional love story focusing on the co-conspirator Francis Tresham rather than Guy Fawkes? Well, I believe at the heart of every good tale is a love story – whether that love be romantic, or the love felt for family or for one’s pet or country. I wanted to enliven the plot rather than it be a dour retelling of the facts. So, there’s definitely some lighter moments included!

“While much of the story is based on historical truths, admittedly I’ve enjoyed playing around, reimagining some of the characters. I visualised the Protestant King James I of England – a man known for rewriting the Bible in his favour and being a huge fan of Shakespeare – as a flamboyant character akin to Freddie Mercury (although with none of his talent!).

 “People may know a little about the circumstances that led to the Gunpowder Plot, but let’s be honest, all anyone really remembers is the Guy Fawkes bit, and only because he’s commemorated each year on bonfires on November 5th. By weaving in an admittedly imagined love triangle, I hope to breathe new life into the story – after all, not much is known about Guy Fawkes’ personal life, so who says it might not be true!”