Q&A: Sound, Snow and Storytelling: Composer Gregory Hall on Snow Mice!

As Snow Mice! prepares to bring its enchanting world of music, puppetry and winter wonder to life at the egg, Theatre Royal Bath, we caught up with composer and musician Gregory Hall to talk about crafting the show’s soundscape. Blending live cello, guitar, and imaginative sound effects, Greg’s compositions help shape a snowy world full of heart, humour and adventure, capturing the imaginations of both children and adults alike. The show will run this Christmas time 20 November - 11 January. 

Snow Mice! uses live cello, guitar and sound effects to bring the snowy world to life. What was your starting point when creating a musical landscape that speaks to both children’s imaginations and deeper emotional themes?

The starting point whenever I am working on a show is the initial R&D phase of the process when lots of story ideas, themes, atmospheres and character traits are explored in the rehearsal room. There tends to be a lot of improvisation and I will often be reacting musically to scenarios or scenes that we are exploring. I will usually record everything, so that I can refer back to ideas that worked and then develop them, either in the rehearsal room as we move through the rehearsal process or in my studio at home.

At this early stage it really is about developing lots of ideas in response to the themes of the show and then honing them in concert with the narrative arc of the story. I might have some ideas of timbre, instrument choices, chord sequences or scales in the back of my mind but I try to respond intuitively in the first instance, so see what comes out in the moment.

And of course music has the wonderful ability to connect with audiences (children and adults!) and to offer so much in terms of imagination and emotion, which really helps and supports the storytelling.

The show places music at the heart of the storytelling rather than as a backdrop. How does your performance as a live musician interact with the puppetry and physical theatre elements on stage?

The live music interacts in a number of ways. It can support and underscore scenes, it can quickly shift the mood or atmosphere of the show, it can help with storytelling and narrative, often through songs, and it can fill the space and drive the action if there are big technical set pieces. Live music can also be more adaptable to the rhythms and pace of actors, on any given performance. It will also often share the lead i.e. sometimes I will be taking my cues from dialogue or action and sometimes the actors will need to follow my musical structure. Sometimes the actors also come and join me in the ‘band’, which they always love!

You were also part of the devising team. How did the collaborative devising process influence your compositions, were there any moments where the music actually helped shape the story?

I address this a little bit in Q1 but the devising process is completely integral to the creation of my compositions. In this process the creation of the story and scenes for the show ran side by side with the creation of the music. Whilst the music doesn’t ultimately shape the story it can certainly shape how the story is told.

Snow Mouse is a beloved character for many children experiencing theatre for the first time. What is it about composing for children’s imaginations that most excites or challenges you creatively?

Making work for children keeps you honest, as they will be very clear if they don’t like it! Creating work for children who may not have experienced theatre before is a very magical thing to do and brings a big sense of responsibility. You don’t want their first experience to put them off going again! Also, watching children nod their heads or move to music you’ve created is really joyous.

Live sound effects play a big role in this production. Can you talk about how you use instruments in unexpected ways to evoke snow, magic, and the physical environment of the story?

I’m not sure if I use my instruments in a hugely ‘unexpected’ way. I use a lot of live looping, which allows me to build up musical layers and to have multiple instruments playing at the same time. For example I might loop some guitar chords, to give a harmonic bed, add a cello line for some emotional depth and then play some glockenspiel to give lightness and air (and snow!)

I also use SFX pedals, often reverb and delay, which can create a sense of the epic or large open spaces.

And finally, do you have a favourite moment in the show that you can share with us?

The show isn’t finished, at the time of writing this, but we are working on a big mountain adventure scene, which will take in the whole theatre space and audience. It’s in these moments of a show where the music (and other creative elements such as lighting) can really go full out, to create adventure, jeopardy and scale. These moments are very fun to work on, so I’m looking forward to seeing what we create!

Don’t miss this magical winter adventure where music, movement and storytelling combine to celebrate friendship, discovery and the joy of snow. For more information and tickets, head to: https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/events/snow-mice/