MUSIC
Writer and director Dave Bain of Skitzoid Productions shares some creative moments from key songs in our productions.
Songs performed by: Harry Boyd, Eloise Jones, Georgia Imrie, Michaela Murphy, Sam Dunning, Alex Harland and Andrew Cunningham.
Choreography by Eloise Jones.
Shout It out loud (GAME OVER)
WHEN YOU NEED TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF“The preview for GAME OVER was in 2017. The reaction from the audience was incredible, but I went back and worked on the script, incorporating changes based on what the actors had brought during the performance.
When we regrouped for a full run in May 2018, Andrew (who plays the Judge of Industry) felt that the show still lacked a song opener. I brought ‘Shout It Out Loud’ to rehearsal about four days later. Because it went in so late, we were running out of time, so Eloise devised some relatively simple choreography - but it’s very comic, and suits the song brilliantly.
If you watch Sam (Death) in the video, you will notice he hardly shifts from his spot. This is because he refused to learn the choreography at such short notice. Because Death is all powerful, I wasn’t going to argue with him.”
SECOND BEST LIVES (GAME OVER)
WHEN YOU WALK FORWARD VERY SLOWLY“This was a song I wrote in my twenties for a band I was playing in called CORE. However, we split up before we ever performed it. GAME OVER included a few of my older songs, which I retconned for the production.
Second Best Lives has proved very popular with audiences - and even with actors at auditions. It’s one of the more heartfelt numbers in the show, with Harry and Eloise beautifully capturing its sense of fading choices.
We recorded the canal walk in one take. I like the idea of a music video capturing a live performance - it gives a nod to how the material should be seen. When I recut the video, I noticed that there is a cat sitting on the first long boat Harry goes past.”
The WESTERN LIGHTS (Dissociated)
WHEN YOU CAN'T SLEEP“I thought it would be really cool to open a show with a “James Bond” style song. Because I’ve also done acting, I find it fun to take a performer’s position when I’m writing; I pick a mood or emotion, and then discover how best to communicate that to an audience.
The song was originally in a higher key, but I brought it down because Eloise’s voice has this extraordinary tone in its lower end - it’s so full of power and passion, which really cuts through in the chorus.
During the show Eloise performed this number from the floor - so we mounted a webcam on the ceiling and then projected her onto a screen. There was only one night where the camera went dolallay - although perhaps it added to song’s atmosphere.”
DISSOCIATED
WHEN YOU WANT TO JUST SWING“When I originally conceived this song, I wanted it to be performed from a swing. I felt that rocking would capture its childish nature. It’s a very young song, about how survivors cope with trauma by disappearing into their minds. Although it’s a reasonable coping mechanism when you are young, dissociation in adults is disorientating and unpleasant.
What I also like about the video is the rapport you can see between Eloise and Georgia. During the run (of Dissociated) someone came up to me and asked if the two of them were best friends in real life. That’s acting darlings!”
Patterns in the Code (Last Sales Conference of the Apocalypse)
WHEN YOU JUST WANT TO PLAY“This song came out of a backing track. Originally it was for the scene where Sam forces Stats to play through different video games.
When we did the first dev workshop, everyone got really into playing their lines against the instrumental. Afterwards, I felt the scene would work better if the whole scene was performed through music.
The animation was done by Benjamin Harvey. It was great to collaborate with Ben - he kept pushing me for more ideas, and the result looks fantastic.”
lost and found (LAST SALES CONFERENCE OF THE APOCALYPSE)
WHEN YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION“The chorus started out as a small snippet I wrote during our previous show, Dissociated. During the writing process it transformed from being light, to holding an underlying melancholia, which is driven home by the lyrics.
I wanted something that sounded old school, but with more lyrical depth. “Leaning on a Lamp-post” and “Songs for Swinging Lovers” were a big influence. In my fantasy life, the chorus will be sung in the stands at football matches.”