Marcus Wood, a former pupil and head boy of Axe Valley Community College – now Axe Valley Academy, in Axminster – is due to take a new show to the Edinburgh Fringe this year.

'Blóðlína' is about two Viking sisters, inheriting their father's legacy amidst political unrest, broken relationships and a looming invasion.

It focuses on what it truly means to be a leader, and in a time when tensions are fraught in our own government, it couldn't be more apt.

The idea for the music began 10 years ago whilst Marcus, whose family still live in Axminster, was still studying.

"I remember sitting at the piano in our music room with Mr Jevons, trying out ideas and utterly failing to write them down on a traditional score," he said.

"Thank goodness for the digital age, as I was able to play my ideas straight into the computer instead!"

Fast forward many years amidst a global pandemic, Marcus – now a graduate of East 15 Acting school – like many other creatives found himself out of work.

"The industry had just collapsed, so as the days went by I found myself looking back over those old sketches of ideas, and incorporating them into a passion project to keep my mind sane," he said.

"The pandemic was both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand all signs of work had dried up and there was nothing on the horizon for the best part of two years, but on the other there were thousands of other creatives who were guaranteed to be as available as I was."

Marcus began reaching out to other professionals, who normally would have been unattainable, or unwilling to help, and slowly found a cast of West End performers to record a demo album over the internet.

"That was the catalyst I think," he said.

"Having such quality voices singing my work was a dream come true, and I'm eternally grateful for all who volunteered their time and effort.

"It meant people could start to hear what had been bouncing around in my head for the best part of a decade."

And the support didn't stop there. After some London-based producers heard his work, they offered their expertise and mentorship in bringing the show to life and finding a home on the Edinburgh Fringe stage.

While competition has been fierce this year, with many venues honouring their commitment to 2020 and 2021 productions, Marcus was still able to find a huge 300-seat venue willing to stage the show.

With his fundraising campaign reaching 50 per cent within its first 12 hours, Marcus is now well on his way to securing the theatre and making a fringe debut.

"I will always be thankful to the people of Axminster and Lyme for providing an environment where I could thrive and grow my passion for theatre and music," he said.

"From working at the Regent Cinema and the Marine Theatre, taking part in Axminster Musical Theatre and Axminster Drama Club, performing in Axe Valley's school shows and even playing in the worship band on a Sunday morning at Crossroads, I owe the local area so much to my development and my career today."

You can find more details and Marcus' Kickstarter fundraising here.