The Lion Inside
Q&A with Eamonn O’Dwyer, Composter & Lyricist
What was your first experience of Rachel Bright and Jim Field’s book The Lion Inside?
My partner Andrew and I read it together on the sofa! I remember thinking that the story was so charming and relatable, and the illustrations so vivid, that I couldn’t wait to get to the piano to start writing the songs.
Tell us about the creative process working with adapter and director Sarah Punshon
Lots of voice messages! I would often send ideas for lyrics over a voice note whenever things popped into my head – in the middle of the supermarket, or walking to a rehearsal – and we’d have a little back and forth about a story beat, or a particular word or meaning. It was brilliant to work with someone who was as eager to discuss the minutiae of every moment as I am!
What do you think Sarah has brought to the live stage adaptation?
Sarah has an amazing eye for detail and a huge sense of fun; I think she’s captured all of the humour and heart of Jim and Rachel’s story and added some hilarious and very human touches that bring the whole show to life. It’s been such a joy collaborating with her.
How did the characters inspire your musical choices?
In a story about finding your voice, Sounds of the Wilderness seemed the obvious place to start, with all its buzzing and mooing, crowing and cawing – and because we’re all children at heart – farting! When Sarah and I first chatted, we talked about basing the Lion on Tom Jones (!), but when we met with Jim Field he told us that his illustrations had been inspired by Elvis, so I immediately went for a bluesy 1950s feel.
Mouse’s loneliness in the show is really heartbreaking at times, but James Keningale has made mouse so beautifully optimistic that I really wanted to capture that in the little major key waltz that he sings.
Tell us about the range of instruments you used for the orchestrations
The orchestrations are a big mash-up of all the above influences; I’ve mixed traditional African instruments like marimba, kalimba and djembe with upright bass, jazz sax and vibraphone, and while Lion is always backed by his blues band, Mouse is often represented by an accordion – perky yet plaintive, and something of an outsider on the wide African plain.
When writing a new song, do you begin with the music or with the lyrics?
It really depends! Sometimes lyrics will come first, especially if they’re really story-driven or if you find a nice turn of phrase; but sometimes I’ll just sit at the piano and noodle until I find a good groove or a hook and build from there.
You’ve written music and lyrics for a number of musicals, how do you approach creating music for children’s theatre?
In exactly the same way, really: you think about story, mood, emotion and you try to breathe musical life into that particular moment. When writing lyrics for children or young people, it’s about making the music and the message instantly accessible and incredibly clear, but without being over-simplistic. You want your audience to understand the song as soon as they hear it, but still feel like they’re entering a rich and exciting musical world.
Who was your favourite author as a child?
I absolutely loved CS Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. I’ve always loved anything that transports you to a new, magical place… and I still do!
What do you hope audiences will take away from this production of The Lion Inside?
I hope everyone enjoys the adventure – and will leave humming the tunes, of course!
The Lion Inside is the perfect theatre trip for families this summer. Showng at Mayflower Studios from 28–30 August, with tickets on sale now www.mayflower.org.uk
Photos credit Pamela Raith Photography
