One of the things we have agreed upon as a group from the start is that we intend to use live music in our piece.
We have been greatly inspired by companies like Filter Theatre who utilise music and live sound to enhance their work brilliantly. As well as work by companies that Tom, Phoebe and I saw at the Edinburgh Fringe last year, such as the Flanagan Collective with their charming folk musical, ‘Beulah’, and HitchHook Theatre’s ‘This was the World and I was King’ which used original songs to underpin the story of three children and their parents during World War One; “the inclusion of music [was] seamless” and it “complemented each scene wonderfully” (Adam 2013).
Production still from HitchHook Theatre’s ‘This Was the World and I was King’.
Music can be such a part of romance and love, it’s hard not to involve it in our thoughts on the subject. While in a relationship, couples tend to have a song that somehow speaks for and “belongs to” their relationship, recent dump-ees have a song or two that they sit and cry to, newly weds have their wedding dance number and romantic meals or gestures are often accompanied by romantic background music (Barry White perhaps). On top of that, music itself is, more often than not, inspired by love – especially popular music. Song lyrics are often about romances gone wrong or romances gone right, or romance in one way or the other.
So, we felt that complimenting and under toning our piece with music throughout would really provide a kind of romantic atmosphere (where appropriate). In using popular loves songs from throughout time too, it would give the audience references to relate to and even laugh at. The aim is to have a sense of humour, not to be too cheesy. Just honest.
So, starting to make a list of famous love songs (this list will be edited and added to as we go):
Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers
I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
True – Spandau Ballet
The Power Of Love – Hewey Lewis and the News
The Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
I Wanna Know What Love Is – Foreigner
The Shoop Shoop Song – Cher
What’s Love Got To Do With It – Tina Turner
I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Queen
Somebody to Love – Queen
The Rock Show – Blink 182
I Would Do Anything For Love – Meat Loaf
What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction
Always – Bon Jovi
All You Need is Love – The Beatles
I’ll stop here for now, but we will continue this! I clearly need help thinking of more modern “hip” love songs (because I may as well be 50 years old as far as music is concerned). Gabby and I have also made a list of the instruments and capabilities we have, and also things that people could possibly pick up or learn in the time we have.
Here is our list of instruments and possible players so far:
Ukuele – Jozey (and Lauren wants to learn?)
Guitar – Jozey (very basic but could learn more) and Tom
Piano – Gabby (experienced) and Jozey (very VERY basic but could learn more)
Horn/ Sax – Gabby (experienced)
Glockenspiel – (Becky is learning)
Tambourine – (Any of us could learn)
Vocals – Lauren, Jozey, Phoebe, Sam, Shellie and Abbi
Reference:
Adam, N (2013) ‘This Was the World and I Was King’, Broadway Baby, 22 August. Available online: http://www.broadwaybaby.com/shows/this-was-the-world-and-i-was-king/31504 [Accessed 23 February 2014]