Guest Blog: Composer Benji Bower Talks WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT

I really enjoy working with [director] Sally Cookson, as she has such a collaborative approach to her work. When she's devising a new piece, everyone from the cast, as well as all the creatives, are encouraged to put forward their ideas.

Sally has a wonderful way of including everyone's input and making people feel free to share ideas and experiment. You can really say anything, because in her process, nothing is wrong or right.

When you're devising, you have to walk down roads to know they're a dead end. Sally and I will meet up long before rehearsals start and discuss the sound of the world that we want to be in. If she has any wants or ideas or images, then I'll go away and write down some ideas which are inspired by the book or text or pictures or feelings. I'll then play these to Sally, so we can have a soundscape to work with when we start rehearsals.

I can get inspiration for my music from everything around me - the sea or trees, or something that's happened to me, an emotion, a thought. It's a special thing to be in a rehearsal room with a load of actors who are improvising, with me improvising myself on my instruments, and then creating something in that moment. Devising theatre is all about discovery, and you really know when something works.

Working on theatre for younger audiences is fantastic; children are the biggest critics, and you really know when they're bored. I loved working on We're Going on Bear Hunt, when we originally did it at Bristol Old Vic, and for all the other incarnations it's had. It's been very rewarding to do such a fun show that's got everything. The great thing about this show is the mess and lovely mad times.

The music I created for the show is very bouncy and jolly, and I hope it adds to the fun of the piece - as it is wonderfully crazy!

We're Going on Bear Hunt at Lyric Theatre until 2 September

Photo credit: Lesley Cook Headshots

To post a comment, you must register and login.