Editorial: Michael Bruce

Dream List: what plays should we be reading, putting on and going to see?

As most of my work is in musical theatre, I’m going to stick to what I know.  Anything by Stephen Sondheim is a must basically.  This summer go and see, Into The Woods at Regent’s Park and then in the autumn, Passion at the Donmar.  Other writers worth exploring are Adam Guettel (Floyd Collins and The Light In The Piazza), Michael John LaChiusa (First Lady Suite and See What I Wanna See) and William Finn (Falsettoland).  Also, go and see a Notes From New York production-they put on concerts featuring the best of British and American writing talent.  Also, if you’ve never been to the Royal Opera, go!  It’s magnificent and you get to feel all cultured afterwards.

Describe your first theatrical epiphany

When I was at college I’d run out of steam writing pop/rock music and was seriously considering giving it all up.  Then a local guy approached the school with an Arts Council commission for a musical he was writing.  He needed someone to write the songs and the songwriting tutor put me forward.  I hadn’t really tackled theatre before that, but something immediately clicked.  The challenge of crafting a whole two hours of music, lyrics and libretto and the opportunity to write about things that mattered, real stuff that you just can’t do in a pop song, relit my passion for writing.  We did a workshop with just a room, a chair and a piano, and the audience was in tears.  I remember watching it happen and thinking: “Wow, there’s something very powerful about being able to influence people’s emotions like this”.  Writing music for me has always been a very visceral experience.  These days I love watching people whilst they’re watching theatre.  The high I get from an audience reaction is quite exhilarating.  (Of course, it’s all down to the actors, but when it’s going well there’s nothing quite like it.)

Who would you invite to your fantasy theatrical dinner party?

Alan Bennett, Oscar Wilde, Noel Coward, Elaine Stritch (caus I have a death wish), Liza Minnelli (caus I’m a glutton for punishment) and Stephen Sondheim (caus this’ll never happen anyway).
 

What are your career highlights so far?

Probably the concert Michael Bruce At The Apollo last year.  It was basically an excuse to get some of the best musical theatre performing talent in the UK to come and sing some of my songs with me and an orchestra in front of a wonderfully enthusiastic audience.  My mother accosting Judi Dench in the foyer was also probably a highlight.
 

What's the strangest experience you've had in the theatre?

Have you ever been to the Edinburgh Festival?!  If you don’t choose wisely you’re likely to find that theatre doesn’t come much stranger…I remember once being roped into a ‘happening’ with Arthur Smith in which we were to re-inact West Side Story.  We ended up dancing around for three minutes over broken glass in a children’s play park on a council estate whilst a bewildered audience stood enthusiastically in the rain.  Not strictly in a theatre, or even any good, but it was strange.
 

Who is your favourite actor of all time?

Miley Cyrus or Judi Dench.  I just can’t decide.
 

Who is the greatest influence on your career?

Stephen Sondheim and looking back, my mentor at college, Dr Nick Phillips.  He was the first person who properly invested in my theatre work and taught me so much (quite a lot of which I’ve probably now forgotten, but the seeds were planted there).
 

Where do you want to be in 5 years time?

Everywhere.  I want people to be sick of the sight of my name.
 

What' s the best thing you've ever seen at the theatre?

Sunday In The Park With George at Wyndhams Theatre.  I’d just written my dissertation on craft in songwriting with specific reference to Sondheim and that show.  I’d never seen it live before and I got a second row seat for £10.  It was life-changing.

What are you up to at the moment?

A new musical comedy I’ve written with Russell Kane is on at The Bush, The Great British Country Fete.  I’m also working on my debut album, various other albums, a play and a couple of new musicals.

Biography: Michael Bruce

Michael is a composer, lyricist and musical director.  His writing credits include the four times nominated and double MTM award winning musical Ed (Trafalgar Studios and Edinburgh Fringe); The Great British Country Fete (National Tour, Latitude Festival and The Bush Theatre); Julie Atherton: No Space For Air (Album); Claudia Morris: Love And Demons (Album); The Grimm of Stottesden Hall (The Wireless Theatre Company); Holes (New Wimbledon Studio); Beyond (Workshop) (Drill Hall, London); Christmas in New York 2007/08/09 (Lyric, Shaftesbury Ave./Prince Of Wales); Helen of Troy (Little Angel); Pirates of the Caribbean (Theatre Royal, Lincoln); Hey Diddle Diddle… (Edinburgh Fringe) and Rigged (Edinburgh Fringe).

Orchestrating and arranging credits include Ruthie Henshall in Concert, Christmas in New York (The Album), three installments of Christmas in New York for which he also wrote the title song, and the forthcoming album Helena Blackman: The Sound Of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Winner of the Notes for the Stage Prize for song writing, he is currently resident composer at the Bush Theatre in London.  The Michael Bruce Album is due to be released later this year.