My Work
Lyrics
Feet on the Ground
Perpetually anxious jewel thief Terri steps forward to give us a little glimpse into her soul. From No Cash Left on the Premises Overnight; music by Ben James. Performed by Nicole Tilby.
Chicken shop owner Felicity is desperate to stop rivals KFK from moving in over the road. From On Your Bike; music by Ben James. Performed by Claire Lee Shenfield, with Ella Nevill and Emilia Grace.
Don't Let the Chicken
Reviews
"Impressively polished, self-aware and highly entertaining"
The Tab on Sleeping Beauty (2021),
co-written with Jade Franks and Jonny Whiting
"A rip-roaring success... wickedly clever and impressively polished"
The Wee Review on On Your Bike (2021),
co-written with Ben James
"Joe Venable’s style of lyricism is remarkably unique: his talent for using rhyme in the most ambitious and surprising ways is one of the musical’s most striking elements... [gives] Lin-Manuel Miranda a run for his money"
TCS on No Cash Left on the Premises Overnight (2021), co-written with Ben James
"the commensurate writing skill of Joe Venable really shines through in the lyrics. Funny rhymes are the bread and butter of comic songs, but these are outstanding"
Varsity on Cymbeline: The Musical (2020), co-written with William Shakespeare
“Social issues are magically interwoven to produce a first-class piece of musical theatre”
FringeReview.co.uk on On your Bike
"the songs are good ... the energy impressive ... a show that thoroughly deserves the large and enthusiastic audiences it’s attracting"
The Scotsman on On your Bike
The Wee Review on On Your Bike **** : https://theweereview.com/review/on-your-bike
The Scotsman on On Your Bike **** : https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/edinburgh-festivals/fringe-theatre-reviews-this-is-paradise-eavesdropping-on-your-bike-3363196
Musical Theatre Review on On Your Bike ***** : https://musicaltheatrereview.com/on-your-bike-edinburgh-fringe/
Broadway Baby on On Your Bike **** : https://broadwaybaby.com/shows/on-your-bike/752318
Fringe Review on On Your Bike: https://fringereview.co.uk/review/edinburgh-fringe/2021/on-your-bike/
Theatre Weekly on On Your Bike ***** : https://theatreweekly.com/edinburgh-review-on-your-bike-at-thespace-surgeons-hall/
Binge Fringe on On Your Bike ***** : https://bingefringe.com/2021/08/21/review-on-your-bike-cambridge-university-musical-theatre-society-edinburgh-fringe-2021/
The Tab on Sleeping Beauty ****1/2 : https://thetab.com/uk/cambridge/2021/04/07/review-cuadc-footlights-panto-sleeping-beauty-149636
TCS on No Cash: https://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/review-no-cash-left-on-the-premises-overnight/
The Tab on Cymbeline: The Musical **** : https://thetab.com/uk/cambridge/2020/02/27/review-cymbeline-the-musical-133327
More...
Nice things that people have said about my work