is a community led production that focuses on people's hopes and fears for a future after Brexit. With a diverse cast of 25, some of whom have
experienced long-term unemployment, the criminal justice system and addiction
services, it draws
on a series of workshops, discussions, improvisations and interviews that have
taken place since October 2017.
You’ve worked with
the Citz on a few productions now (Buckets, One More Sleep ‘til Christmas), how
does Come Hell or High Water compare?
In terms of the process it has been completely different to
anything I’ve worked on here before, or anything I’ve ever worked on! We’ve
been working with the group since October. The first two months were just us
all getting together, drinking tea and coffee, and talking about Brexit and
what it means to be British. It was a very open space to share views and
debate, and to get to know each other. The next stage was trying to shape those
conversations into a piece of theatre. It feels like we’ve created a community
in the room that has then become a cast. That is really unique.
This is the first time that I’ve worked on a production at
the Citizens with lots of songs. I really love writing songs, and marrying
music and words together. This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to do
that with the company here which has been really exciting. It’s also unusual as
nearly all the words in the play, and definitely all the lyrics, are verbatim –
they’ve come from real interviews with real people across Glasgow and Scotland.
So in all of those ways it is completely different to my
previous work at the Citz!
How much work did you
do in advance of rehearsals and how much is developed in the room?
The preparation phase was really the time we spent early on,
having conversations over tea in the rehearsal room. During this time cast
members also interviewed their friends and family about what it means to be
British, about Brexit and about how it might impact their lives and about what
it means to be living in Glasgow – whether you are a refugee that has recently
moved to the city or you have lived here all your life. A lot of the content
that has found its way into the script has come from these interviews, as well
as our discussions in the room.
Were there opposing
views in the room?
Yes there were opposing views in the room! And it’s so rare
to have a space where a group of people can openly discuss their conflicting
views, and at the same time work together towards a shared goal. It’s great
because the group of participants have also now become a really good group of
friends too. I think what has been really key is creating a supportive space
where everyone feels they can share openly and won’t be judged for it.
What does your role of Composer entail?
As a composer I always tend to take musical style for any
piece from the story, the characters and the setting. My role here is slightly different
as I have the added responsibility of authentically representing different
people’s opinions. So, rather than selecting a musical style what I’ve done is
focus on what people have said and how they’ve said it, taking the rhythms of
someone’s speech and using that to inform the rhythm of the music. For example,
if someone said something really fast, or they had particular emphasis on a
specific word, I’ve tried to incorporate that into the music.
My task has been putting all our different conversations to
music without losing the original meanings and intentions behind the words. I’m
aiming to create something that is accurate as well as theatrically and
musically exciting. This has been a really fun challenge for me as composer.
Finn and the cast in rehearsals
What styles of music
can we expect to hear in the show? Is it quintessentially British?
What I’ve done with the songs is pull out small excerpts
from the interviews and tried to find hooks in them. I’ve selected parts that
sound like they have a good rhythm or could be repeated as a chorus. So, it is not a classical sound; it is not a
particularly folksy sound. It has quite a catchy, upbeat feel to it.
Within that there will also be elements of Scottish folk, as
well as different music from the many different cultures in the room, and the
rich musical heritage that comes from all those different places. I’ve tried to marry that with a musical
theatre style.
Wow, that sounds like
a really interesting mix!
It is a bit bonkers but somehow it works! It’s nice because
everyone involved recognises their own voices in the songs.
What has been your
favourite part of the process?
There are a few things. Firstly, getting to work with a
group of 25 singers is very rare as a professional composer in the theatre –
you hardly ever get to work with a company of that size. It’s also been
brilliant working with such a diverse group of people on a joint project. Meeting up with everyone on a regular basis
over the past few months has been very special. Personally, it has really
reconnected me to the joy of making theatre, of why I do it and why it is
important. I’ve also loved getting to explore this particular topic through
music.
And what about the most
challenging part of the process?
I would say the music
– because all the lyrics are verbatim a lot of the music is very fast, and the
rhythms are complex and difficult to learn. Trying to sing in the rhythm of
someone else’s speech is actually quite tricky! These guys are doing an
incredible job, but that’s a challenge for all of us.
The other big challenge is that balance between creating an
exciting and theatrical show and being authentic. As soon as you put some sad
music under something that was said, it suddenly makes it ten times sadder than
that person intended. That’s fine if you are telling a fantastical, magical
story but when you are putting real people’s words on stage you have to be more
sensitive about using music to support those words without allowing it to
change the meaning of them. This piece has been a real challenge from that
point of view.
Is there anything
else you’d like to share about the project?
I think this production is special because there is room for
everybody and all their different opinions. I feel like the atmosphere we’ve
created in the rehearsal room, where people of all ages, backgrounds and
abilities feel their voice is valid, is something that should be found in more
theatre foyers and audiences around the country. For me, it is exciting to be
in a theatrical environment where everybody comes from completely different
backgrounds but we are all united in a shared passion. I think that theatre has
a unique ability to achieve that.
Sounds like you are
going to miss your twice weekly meetings
I really am! It has been a highlight of the past six months
for me.
