Performed outdoors in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens the sound design for Around the World in 80 Days had to both serve the ERA of the story, so be entirely orchestral, and also have a SCALE that would work with the size of the performance venue.
I began the process by writing several complete pieces of music trying to remind myself how orchestral music worked from a half-forgotten 7th form composition class that happened literally decades ago. About half of which made it through to the final show. The rest was composed to the action created in the rehearsal room.
The music was supplemented by extensive atmospheres and sound effects and is my largest and most challenging undertaking to date.
One of my preproduction sketches that made it all the way to the show. Versions of this became the "Romance/Fogg and Aouda Theme"
This initial sketch became the Crime/Fix of the Yard theme and this and variations on it were used to underscore moments of villainy and Fix's moments of victory
An unused initial sketch that was ultimately rejected for being too slow
This piece of music looped and had multiple interrupts to it as it underscored the action of a ferocious storm
Another loop, this one used to underscore a "Glorious Montage of Victorian Travel" I cheated on this one by using a hi-hat from a contemporary drum kit to add momentum.
Underscore as Fogg explains how it is possible to travel around the world, listing times, dates, and modes of travel.
Looping underscore for several moments of chase/escape while travelling through India. Orchestral instruments are supported by samples of traditional Indian instruments.