How pair became big fish in a small rock pool

Published on Saturday 22 August 2009 11:13

AS A high-flying accountant to the stars, Julie Hegarty was used to sorting out the financial affairs of pop music's biggest names. Clients included George Michael, Coldplay and Nanci Griffith, all with multi-million portfolios.

When she quit to become a mum and later a successful children's writer Julie was there to support husband Tim as he left behind his career as a songwriter for some of the Eighties' biggest names to develop his own business interests and his family's property firm.

Everything was perfect, her Crabbit books – based on life in a busy, colourful rockpool – were doing well and Tim's businesses were booming. Then, like a bolt from the blue, it happened.

"It's been very stressful," sighs Julie, referring to the sudden and unexpected collapse of a large part of her husband's family firm, a 500 million business with properties in some of Edinburgh's most prestigious addresses.

"The bank took a 40-year-old business that was in profit and just pulled the plug on it. Just like that. His family had worked so hard to build up the business and almost all the property was let out, but because the value of the properties had dropped the bank decided to take it all off them and sell, it rather than sitting tight and waiting for prices to go back up."

The collapse of several subsidiaries within family firm WG Mitchell meant Tim lost a fortune. Showpiece properties in Charlotte Square, George Street – even the Radisson Hotel on the Royal Mile, a key investment – were "repossessed" by the troubled Royal Bank of Scotland, eager to recoup cash it had loaned the firm. It could have sent some couples into despair, but Tim and Julie decided there was only one option – to go full circle, back to their musical roots. "Tim was getting fed up with it all and started writing some songs – it was like therapy," she recalls. "One day he said he'd always dreamed of writing a musical, and we just looked at each other and thought, Crabbit!"

By the time administrators finally took over the firm in April, the couple had tracked down experienced theatre producer Sarah Townsend – one of Tim's friends from school in Northern Ireland. She quickly secured a month-long Fringe slot at the Gilded Balloon, and even persuaded the costume company responsible for creating outfits for the award-winning Lion King to come on board.

Now, as the show enters its final week, the couple have swapped the lows of watching Tim's family business collapse for the highs of seeing the show they created receive rave reviews from the toughest critics of all – children.

"It's been really amazing," laughs Julie, 42, who lives with Tim and their sons Hugh, 11, William, nine, and eight-year-old Henry in the Grange. "It's been incredible watching the children's responses – and it's kids of all ages who are enjoying it."

Not that the acclaim should come as a surprise. For as a London-based songwriter, Tim penned hits for stars like D:Ream, Gloria Gaynor and Limahl from Kajagoogoo.

"Tim writes what he calls 'great cheesy pop' which is great for a kids' musical," she adds. "You don't have to have a children's musical show that's all songs about sausages and counting to ten, and Tim's songs are catchy and easy to sing to, so the kids really enjoy them."

It's all a long way from where Crabbit! The Musical began. To get there, you have togo back to Julie's schooldays in a seaside village near Bridgend in South Wales, where bullies made life a misery.

She went on to work with some of music's big names while Tim's role as a songwriter meant they rubbed shoulders with rock stars. But when children came the couple left it all behind to concentrate on family life in Edinburgh.

As she juggled three youngsters, Julie noticed the shortage of quality books that adequately tackled her childhood issues – like bullying and friendships – in a way that younger children could appreciate and understand.

A trip to the seaside with her sons inspired her to create Michelle the Shell, the "big sister" character in a colourful rockpool of fishy characters who, just like children in a playground, come up against all sorts of tangled social issues, from name calling to learning to be nice to each other.

With colourful art by Morningside illustrator Ritchie Collins, the books were quickly seized on by schools, organisations and parents keen to bring its anti-bullying message to youngsters. UK charity Beatbullying even recommended the books as a key tool in helping young children understand the implications of bullying behaviour. And now Crabbit! The Musical looks set to open in London's West End in October.

"We're in talks with a London theatre just now," says Julie. "It's very exciting. I can hardly believe we've got to this stage." As for the bank's starring role in the production of Crabbit! The Musical, Julie is less complimentary. Its role in the downfall of the family business has the couple drawing parallels with the bullying theme of the book and musical.

"I think the way the banks are behaving with businesses is almost criminal," Julie seethes. "It was tough watching what happened to Tim's family's company, but, in the end, it turned out to be an inspiration to us both. It gave us something to focus on when things were at their worst.

"Now we're back to where we were ten years ago," she smiles. "Tim is back to doing something he loves best – writing songs."

Crabbit! The Musical is on at the Gilded Balloon Teviot in Bristo Square, daily at 12:15pm until Monday, 31 August. www.crabbit-musical.com