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Posted on 14 Dec 2017
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We have managed to grab five minutes with Will Dollard and Mary Erskine who are the composers and lyricists for The Nutcracker and the Mouse King!
Q) When did you start working on the music and lyrics for the show?
Will: We started floating ideas around in June, then really got going in August.
Q) How did you got into writing music and lyrics for shows?
Mary: We started working with Goblin Theatre a few years ago as a kind of experiment... which led to another show, then another and then here we are!
Q) What was your favourite toy as a child?
Will: Lego was always a favourite, and I also loved my roller blades, do they count as a toy?
Q) How do you start writing the music? When do you write the parts for the other instruments?
Mary: It depends on the song... For Nutcracker, the script and the music sort of evolved alongside each other, so we would quite often sit down and brainstorm imagined dialogues/things the characters might say, in order to find a jumping-off points for lyrics. In other moments, a melody or chords would come first.
Q) What are you most looking forward to this Christmas?
Will: Seeing my family and spending time doing nothing! Obviously seeing the show come together will be really special.
Q) What is your role once the cast start rehearsing?
Mary: We'll be on hand for tweaks/last-minute stitches and fixes but generally we'll just be getting excited, watching it all come together!
Q) Favourite song in the show?
Will: "Magic in These Walls" - it's the creepy one.
Q) Which song are we going to be humming all the way home?
Mary: Imagine This! Or maybe the Mouse King's song....
Q) What would you tell people who are interested in becoming composers?
Will: Involve yourself in loads of different styles of music - and always say "yes" to everything.
Tickets really are selling fast for The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. CLICK HERE to book your tickets today!