Principal Edwards Magic Theatre

Principal Edwards Magic Theatre was an English post-psych theatrical ensemble that made the 1969–71 albums Soundtrack and The Asmoto Running Band, followed by the 1974 album Round One as Principal Edwards.

Members: Root Cartwright (guitar, mandolin, recorder), Belinda Bourquin (fiddle, piano, recorder, vocals), David Jones (percussion), Martin Stellman (vocals, 1968-71), Vivienne McAuliffe (vocals, 1968-71), Jeremy Ensor (bass, 1968-71), Joe Read (bass, 1968-71), Terry Budd (drums, 1968-71), Roger Swallow (drums, 1968-71), Lyn Edwards (percussion, 1968-71), Nick Pallett (vocals, guitar, 1972-74), Richard Jones (bass, vocals, 1972-74), Geoff Nicholls (drums, 1972-74)

Background

Principal Edwards Magic Theatre formed in early 1968 at the University of Exeter when a group of students abandoned plans for an arts magazine and created a multimedia performance collective. Guitarist–mandolinist Root Cartwright emerged as their primary songwriter alongside violinist–keyboardist Belinda “Bindy” Bourquin, bassist Jeremy Ensor, vocalists Vivienne McAuliffe, Martin Stellman, and David Jones, with Lyn Edwards on drums. The group’s name fused two references: Lyn’s ancestor, Welsh theologian Principal Thomas Charles Edwards, and the Magic Theatre from Hermann Hesse’s Steppenwolf.

They made their public debut in May 1968 at “Dance of Words,” a Portsmouth student-organized event hosted by John Peel with sets by Alexis Korner, Fairport Convention, Forest, Free, Gary Farr, Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Pete Brown’s Poetry Band with John McLaughlin. Peel championed the group and signed them to his new imprint, Dandelion Records.

On May 29, 1969, they performed at the Van Dike Club in Plymouth with Bridget St John, Eclection, Forest, King Crimson, Trader Horne, and Yes. A month later, they appeared at the Bath Festival of Blues, sharing the stage with Blodwyn Pig, Chicken Shack, Colosseum, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Keef Hartley Band, Led Zeppelin, The Nice, Savoy Brown, Taste, and Ten Years After.

Dandelion issued Principal Edwards’ debut single, “Ballad (Of the Big Girl Now and a Mere Boy)” backed with “Lament for the Earth,” on July 18, 1969 (Dandelion 4405).

Soundtrack

Principal Edwards Magic Theatre released their debut album, Soundtrack, in December 1969 on Dandelion.

The album blends theatrical composition, tonal counterpoint, and literary lyricism into extended works that pivot between spoken word, choral passages, and episodic ensemble sections.

Guitarist Root Cartwright structures the material around alternating electric motifs and acoustic sequences, often interlocking with keyboardist–violinist Bindy Bourquin, whose parts alternate between harmonic texture and melodic counterpoint. Vocalist David Jones contributes percussion, while Vivienne McAuliffe and Martin Stellman share lead vocal duties across material authored by Cartwright in collaboration with lyricists Jones, Stellman, and W.A. Leatherbarrow.

Soundtrack unfolds as a sequence of extended, theatrical set‑pieces rather than discrete songs, with tempo and density shifting sharply within each side. “Enigmatic Insomniac Machine” establishes a moderate pulse built on Spanish‑tinged acoustic figures and dense lyric delivery before yielding to sharper electric accents, while “Sacrifice” fragments its seven minutes into uneven blocks that alternate restrained vocal passages with abrupt surges of amplified guitar and percussion.

“The Death of Don Quixote” stretches the album’s pacing furthest, moving at a largely unhurried tempo with pastoral instrumentation—piano, mandolin, recorder—interrupted by spoken interludes and sudden textural pivots. Side two sharpens contrast: “Third Sonnet to Sundry Notes of Music” lurches between liturgical vocal sections and a brief, forceful electric break, “To a Broken Guitar” compresses the album’s acoustic language into a short, spare statement, and “Pinky: A Mystery Cycle” closes the set by stripping away fragility in favor of sustained instrumental pressure, tom‑driven momentum, and extended guitar passages that hold intensity through accumulation.

A1. “Enigmatic Insomniac Machine” (4:57)
A2. “Sacrifice” (7:12)
A3. “The Death of Don Quixote” (13:22)

B1. “Third Sonnet to Sundry Notes of Music” (7:17)
B2. “To a Broken Guitar” (2:38)
B3. “Pinky: A Mystery Cycle” (9:44)

Sessions took place at Trident Studios with engineer Ken Scott and co-production by John Peel and the band. CBS handled manufacturing and distribution. The original gatefold sleeve includes lyrics printed on the left panel, with design by Harry Housman and photography by Chris Brotherton and Duncan Flatman. Early pressings of side B include a label misprint that numbers tracks B2 and B3 both as “3.”

1970 Concerts and Festivals

In 1970, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre expanded their live profile with a series of theatrical performances on the UK college and festival circuit, often appearing alongside emerging and eclectic acts of the underground scene.

In March, they took part in the weeklong Atomic Sunrise festival (March 9–15, 1970) at London’s Roundhouse. Sharing the bill with Alexis Korner, Arthur Brown, Audience, Black Sabbath, Brian Auger, David Bowie, Formerly Fat Harry, Genesis, Graham Bond, Gypsy, Hawkwind, Jackie Lomax & Heavy Jelly, Juicy Lucy, Kevin Ayers and The Whole World, Marsha Hunt, Mighty Baby, Peter Straker & Hair Band, Quintessence, and Third Ear Band, they presented their hybrid of music, poetry, and interpretive dance in a mixed-media context that aligned with the festival’s emphasis on avant-garde experimentation and progressive performance.

On March 30, they joined jazz-rock ensemble Colosseum and spoken-word folksters The Liverpool Scene at Queens Hall in Leeds for a triple-bill that bridged theatrical performance, fusion instrumentalism, and satirical verse.

They returned to the Lyceum Theatre in London on August 2 in a support slot with Ten Years After and country–folk ensemble Matthews Southern Comfort, juxtaposing their narrative-driven set against two more roots-based electric outfits.

On September 26, Principal Edwards headlined an event at Kingston Polytechnic alongside Roger Spears Giant Kinetic Wardrobe and the original Supertramp. The evening reinforced the band’s reputation for immersive, interdisciplinary stage shows amid a growing roster of experimental performers.

The Asmoto Running Band

Principal Edwards Magic Theatre released their second album, The Asmoto Running Band, in January 1971 on Dandelion.

The album presents a continuous two‑suite structure built around extended thematic cycles rather than discrete songs, with material unfolding through linked sections and recurring motifs. Guitarist Root Cartwright anchors the structure with alternating electric and acoustic passages that intersect with keyboardist–violinist Belinda Bourquin, whose recorder, piano, and violin parts shift between melodic lead and textural framing. Roger Swallow adds multi‑instrument color across the suites, while vocal roles rotate among Vivienne McAuliffe and Martin Stellman within the broader ensemble design.

The title derives from a band in‑joke based on a road crew note urging the group to become “a smooth running band,” misread and reimagined as “Asmoto.” Material on the first suite adopts a loosely defined environmental concept treated with deliberate irony, while lyrics draw from multiple writers within the group’s performance collective.

The Asmoto Running Band trades the sprawling density of Soundtrack for tighter ensemble writing split across two thematic suites, with sharper cuts between mood shifts and a broader range of instrumental textures. The opening “McAlpine” sequence builds gradually through interlinked movements: “McAlpine’s Dream” layers violin against alternating acoustic and electric guitar patterns at a mid-tempo pace; “McAlpine Versus the Asmoto” heightens the energy with extended instrumental passages where bowed lines arc over percussive surges; “The Asmoto Running Band” briefly pares the rhythm back for a syncopated vocal section before plunging into the two “Celebration” fragments—both abrupt, the first rhythmic, the second fragmentary and spoken.

Side two cycles through contrasting forms: “Total Glycerol Esther” hinges on jittery violin runs that veer toward dissonance; “Freef (R’) All” resets the pacing into a layered, pastoral meter with voice and violin in soft alternation. “Autumn Lady Dancing Song” extends this tone into a longer arc with graceful instrumental turns, while “The Kettering Song” strips the structure down to a repetitive chant built on name fragments. The closing “Weirdsong of Breaking Through at Last” compresses the instrumental language into short angular bursts and ends unresolved. Throughout the album, shifts in tempo and instrumentation occur without warning, but the band maintains control through sharp sectional transitions and ensemble cohesion.

A1. “McAlpine’s Dream” (6:12)
A2. “McAlpine Versus the Asmoto” (6:14)
A3. “The Asmoto Running Band” (3:10)
A4. “Asmoto Celebration” (1:51)
A5. “Further Asmoto Celebration (After the Ball)” (1:17)

B1. “Total Glycerol Esther” (2:43)
B2. “Freef (R’) All” (5:06)
B3. “Autumn Lady Dancing Song” (6:50)
B4. “The Kettering Song” (3:56)
B5. “Weirdsong of Breaking Through at Last” (3:02)

They recorded the album in late 1970 with production by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and former Ora bassist Robin Sylvester, who engineered the sessions. Hipgnosis designed the orange-saturated cover, which shows a semi-revealed female subject at the foot of stairwell.

1971–73 Activity

In late summer 1971, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre appeared at the Weeley Festival (August 27–29) in Essex, sharing the three-day lineup with Anne Briggs, Al Stewart, Barclay James Harvest, Caravan, Curved Air, Edgar Broughton Band, Gringo, Groundhogs, Heads Hands & Feet, King Crimson, Lindisfarne, Mott the Hoople, Rod Stewart and Faces, Rory Gallagher, Status Quo, Stone the Crows, Stray, T. Rex, Tir Na Nog, and Van der Graaf Generator. Their theatrical presence stood out amid the guitar-heavy rock fare, continuing their reputation for blending music, mime, and movement in open-air environments.

They performed again on October 29, 1971, at the Canterbury Technical College alongside Thin Lizzy. This marked one of the final appearances by the original collective, who had secured a residency at the Hampstead Theatre Club in London. By December, internal disagreements over priorities—between their experimental theatre ambitions and the demands of touring rock audiences—resulted in the disbanding of the ensemble. Guitarist Root Cartwright cited mounting business pressures and a creative split between the fringe-theatre contingent and the musical core.

In early 1972, Cartwright regrouped with violinist–keyboardist Belinda Bourquin and percussionist David Jones under the shortened name Principal Edwards. They reemerged with a new, streamlined rock lineup that included Richard Jones (ex-Climax Blues Band) on bass, Nick Pallett on guitar and vocals, and Geoff Nicholls on drums. Their first major performance under the revised name took place on February 12, 1972, at the Essen Pop Carnival in West Germany, where they shared the bill with Atomic Rooster, Beggars Opera, Curtiss Maldoon, Deep Purple, Linda Lewis, Osibisa, Paladin, and The Pretty Things.

With Miles Copeland as manager, the band transitioned into a tighter rock format and signed to Deram Records. They toured three original stage productions: King of Changes, Stone Age Sam, and The Glass White Gangster. In June 1973, they issued the standalone single “Captain Lifeboy” (b/w “Nothing”) followed in August by “Weekdaze” (b/w “The Whizzmore Kid”).

Round One

Principal Edwards released their third album, Round One, in April 1974 on Deram.

The album consolidates the group’s post–Magic Theatre shift into a tighter rock framework while retaining episodic construction and ensemble interplay.

Guitarist Root Cartwright and keyboardist–violinist Belinda Bourquin work in close counterpoint, alternating between electric passages, acoustic figures, and keyboard-led transitions that frame the material’s narrative continuity. Guitarist Nick Pallett integrates lead guitar lines with vocal phrasing, while multi-part sections expand through coordinated instrumental layering rather than discrete song forms.

A1. “Average Chap” (3:47)
A2. “Halibut Rock” (3:35)
A3. “Milk and Honeyland” (4:56)
A4. “The Whizzmore Kid” (5:11)

B1. “Juggernaut” (3:36)
B2. “Dear Mrs. O’Reilly” (5:07)
B3. “Triplets” (2:29)
B4. “The Rise of the Glass‑White Gangster” (10:36)
(i) “Moody as a Shark on Heat”
(ii) “Lady of Danger”
(iii) “Glass‑White Gangster”
(iv) “Sirens”
(v) “Mechanical Madness”

Nick Mason produced the album at De Lane Lea Music Centre with engineers Dick Plant and Douglas Bogie. Mike Giliker designed the sleeve, with photography by Leena Komppa and Suzette Stephens.

Postlude

Martin Stellman became a screenwriter and film director (For Queen and Country). David Jones ran a community center and plays in The Climax Ceilidh Band and Meridian. Root Cartwright turned to photography and gardening.

Bindy Bourquin and Richard Jones married, became teachers. Jones stayed active in folk music. Nick Pallett and Geoff Nicholls performed as Twang and Bongo on Animal Kwackers, then joined Electrotunes with Tony Hannaford (G.T. Moore & the Reggae Guitars).

Lyn Edwards worked in theatre, Play School, and BBC radio. Jeremy Ensor toured as engineer and manager with Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, Groundhogs, McGuinness Flint, and Albion Band; co-produced Greenslade, later signed Judas Priest, The Only Ones, and Graham Bonnet at CBS and Phonogram.

Chris Runciman worked as a touring tech for Jackson Browne, Steve Earle, and James Taylor. Les Adey became lighting tech for Genesis.

The Devon Tapes

In 2008, Cherry Red issued The Devon Tapes, a live 1974 recording by Principal Edwards.

The set captures the streamlined six-piece lineup in an unvarnished rehearsal performance, recorded in a Devon cottage ahead of their final tour.

Guitarist Root Cartwright alternates between electric leads and mandolin voicings, often weaving around the keyboard and violin phrasings of Belinda Bourquin, while bassist Richard Jones shares melodic duties with guitarist–vocalist Nick Pallett and keyboardist Peter White. The arrangement pivots on collective interplay, with songs developing through contrast between ensemble passages and text-driven vocal sequences.

1. “The Beast” (6:02)
2. “Saccharine Lady” (4:37)
3. “Assassin Senorita” (3:23)
4. “Shipwreck” (4:24)
5. “Double Jointed” (3:45)
6. “Helix” (5:12)
7. “Yes, She Said Yes” (4:00)
8. “The Alamo” (7:18)
9. “Over and Out” (4:09)

The band taped the album in late 1974 on-location in Devon, using mobile equipment to capture their live set in full takes. Cherry Red digitally remastered the material in-house with Richard Jones overseeing the transfer. Tony Barnes coordinated the release, which included new artwork by Jim Phelan.

Discography: