Huge thank you to podcasters Drawling Samantics for having us on their show.
It was a wonderful hour of talking theatre, musicals, songwriting, mental health advocacy and our new show, "Last Sales Conference of the Apocalypse”.
An interview with London Pub Theatres
An extract from an interview with London Pub Theatres with writer/director Dave Bain.
Do you have a process for developing the compositions and the lyrics?
I write the music (and sometimes lyrics) before the script, although I have a rough structure in mind. It avoids the problem of “write sad song here”. Starting from a more subconscious, instinctual place means the songs have a distinct feeling and mood. When I come to write the script, there’s this weird synergy where somehow the songs arrange themselves into the right places.
Because of Covid the writing process got extended. I wrote over twenty songs for this show, and then cherry picked the best ones. Stylistically, the music is quite diverse. Each character has their own style. Sam likes old school musicals, Stats is more electronic, and Aesha likes funky dance music.
I’ve been taking piano more seriously across the last five years (I’m a guitarist by trade), and it’s really improved my songwriting. I’m very proud of the songs in this show – they feel fully formed.
Which are your favourite numbers in the show and why?
My favourite is ONE HAND ON MY SHOULDER – it was another attempt to write a Bond song. It’s quite heavy and acts as the emotional core of the piece. LOST & FOUND mixes lightness with melancholia. I always knew it would be a tap song. The first time I saw Eloise’s (ELOISE JONES) choreography for the chorus I felt emotional – there were tears in my eyes. DANCING WITH YOU was the last song I wrote. It’s a waltz that integrates the dance and music, but also drives the plot forward. I’ve been getting great feedback on the chorus during auditions and rehearsals. I can’t wait to see it work within the context of the entire show.
How does the comedy arise in the show?
The core of the IT support team, Sam & Stats, have been friends for several years, so they have this verbal shorthand. They’re both very smart, and like their banter. Furthermore, when we enter Sam’s imagination, there’s a constant push back from the rest of the cast against his creative ideas. Sadly, Sam is not as good a writer as he thinks; his ideas are half-formed and undeveloped. One of his (own scripted) lines is, “Suddenly, my horse came to a sudden halt” which is bad writing Room 101.
Join AN IT SUPPORT TEAM on a musical quest to stop the apocalypse
Following the success of GAME OVER ("poignant, glamorous, funny", North West End ****) and Dissociated ("jaw dropping", LondonTheatre1 ****), Skitzoid Productions are excited to bring their third original musical to Waterloo East Theatre this October.
12+ Adult themes around mental health.
Sam, the head of IT startup "SupportMe" (current valuation, £8.74, if we include the half used box of tea-bags) has just initiated a nuclear missile countdown with his bottom. This is scary, but also embarrassing.
Utilising his team's experience of prank calling corporate helplines, Sam devises a plan to stop the launch. The plan does not go well, and unhelpfully, Sam passes out. He enters his subconscious, imagining himself as a showrunner who compels his staff to play roles in TV franchises.
Forgotten memories from Sam's childhood start to emerge, memories that were locked away for good reason. Increasingly, Sam's head becomes a battleground between himself and the rest of his team.
Can Sam connect back to his lost memories and stop the impending apocalypse?
Featuring fifteen original songs and the voice of Marcus Bentley (from Big Brother), Last Sales Conference of the Apocalypse explores the long-term impact of domestic violence and conversion therapy through comedy, music, drama and suspense.
Dave Bain, writer/director of the show, said: “This is our most exciting production so far. We have fifteen original songs, an LGBTQ cast and Marcus Bentley playing the voice of God from Big Brother. It's a comedy, but a comedy that explores how we process anger. Anger is secondary emotion; underneath you often find something vulnerable and heartfelt. This show approaches anger from the perspective of difference. If we aren’t willing to understand each other’s perspectives, there can be conflict, and a lack of empathy."
The show has two charity sponsors: SODA, who support victims of domestic violence and Open Table Network, who host communities for LGBTQ Christians who have felt excluded from churches. During the run, donations will be taken for both charities.
Reflecting on her involvement with the show, Samantha Billingham, the director of SODA, said, “Skitzoid Productions constantly push the boundaries of story-telling. We’re extremely honoured to be sponsoring this show that shines a light on taboo subjects that others are too scared to talk about."
Kieran Bohan, Coordinator of Open Table Network, said, "OTN has been supporting LGBT+ people in Christian communities for 14+ years. Too many feel alone, ashamed, excluded. We're very proud to be sponsoring this show, which tackles complex mental health issues with courage, songs, style and a smile!"
Last Sales Conference of the Apocalypse comes to Waterloo East Theatre, from Tuesday 4th October for four weeks. Performances are from Tuesday to Saturday at 7:30pm, with a matinee performance at 4pm every Sunday.
Tickets are £20 (plus booking fee, concessions available).
Click here to go to the SODA website.
For more information on Open Table Network click here.