I’ve worked with many theatre companies composing musicals, songs, soundscapes, incidental music, and opera. Here is a selection of the plays I’ve written music for.
Faith
Music for four plays by Chris O’Connell and Chinonyerem Odimba, performed on the streets of Coventry. Part of Coventry City of Culture, co-produced with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Directed by Erica Whyman.
Ceremony of Light
A large-scale orchestral piece. After the final performance of Faith, Audiences were invited to gather at dusk to light one of 500 flames to create a final tapestry of lights in the city centre. Celebrating Coventry’s diverse communities. Coventry City of Culture, co-produced with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Directed by Erica Whyman.
Clinging to the Rock Face
A dance piece exploring a woman’s descent into dementia. Performed at Cockpit Theatre, Midlands Arts Centre. Devised by Heather Jeffery.
Ostrich Boys
Carl Miller’s adaptation of Keith Gray’s Grey’s novel, for Birmingham Young Rep. Original production. Directed by Hannah Phillips.
Zameen
In the cotton fields of Punjab, Baba, an ageing farmer, tends to his crop and pins his hopes of prosperity on GM seeds and Western pesticides. By Satinder Chohan. Kali Theatre Tour. Directed by Janet Steel.
Another Paradise
Satirical comedy about biometric ID and confused identities. Edinburgh 2008, and national Tour, 2009. By Sayan Kent. Kali Theatre. Directed by Janet Steel.
Two
By Jim Cartwright. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool. Cast: Eithne Brown and Neil Caple. Directed by Bob Eaton.
Paper Thin
Mushtaq’s student visa is about to run out, but desperate to stay in London, he works two jobs to pay Laila, who has a flourishing business in arranging marriages of convenience. By Azma Dar. Kali Theatre Tour. Directed by Janet Steel.
Chaos
Mr Rizvi’s dreams of a united world are thrown into turmoil by events following 9/11. By Azma Dar. Kali Theatre Tour. Directed by Janet Steel.
Bells!
A butcher’s shop by day and a brothel by night. A controversial play telling a love story across barriers of race, culture and taboo. By Yasmin Whittaker-Khan. Kali Theatre. Directed by Poonam Brah.
Calcutta Kosher
Two sisters return to a little-known Indian Jewish community in crumbling Calcutta, home of their childhood. By Shelley Silas. Southwark Playhouse, Theatre Royal Stratford East. Directed by Janet Steel.
Sock’em With Honey
Feroza wants to marry her Jewish boyfriend, David. But, her family want her to follow tradition and settle down with a nice Parsee (Zoroastrian) boy. By Bapsi Sidwa. Kali Theatre Tour. Directed by Janet Steel.
Hound of the Baskervilles
Adaptation by Simon Williams from the Arthur Conan Doyle book. A co-production with the Belgrade Theatre and Paul Farrah Productions.
Truckers
Adapted in 2002 by Bob Eaton from the Terry Pratchett novel. A co-production between the Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Harrogate Theatre and the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds. Directed by Rob Swain.
“Sayan Kent’s soundtrack is attractive” – Yorkshire Post Today
A Hard Rain
About the 1998 Northamptonshire floods. By Richard Pinner. Community Tour. Directed by Janet Steel.
The Turn of the Screw
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the Henry James novel as a two-hander, starring Sophie Ward and Christopher Cazenove. The music was created using only the sampled voice of actress Sophie Ward. Co-production with the Belgrade Theatre and PW Productions. Directed by Bob Eaton.