Working with ThirdSpace Theatre on 'Let it be a Tale'

Travels with Best Foot Music Podcast

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Working with ThirdSpace Theatre on 'Let it be a Tale'

Jan 10, 2025

The recording here, is a live music soundtrack and stage actors from the opening night of the play Let it be a Tale, written and produced by ThirdSpace Theatre. The play ran for three days, at the Dome Studio Theatre, Brighton. The first show was on the evening of Friday 20th December, with two shows per day on the 21st and 22nd.

Background context

The play is structured around retellings of folk tales from conflict affected regions around the World. There is a Scheherazade character, introducing tales to a child trapped under the rubble after an airstrike. The play title and some of the visuals created, such as the opening scene of a girl innocently playing with a kite, reference the poem ‘If I must die, Let it be a Tale’ by Refaat Alareer, who was deliberately targeted and murdered by the Israeli regime, on the 6th December 2023 during the ongoing genocide in Gaza. His brother Salah with son Mohammed, and his sister Asmaa with three of her children (Alaa, Yahia, and Mohammed) were also among those killed in the same airstrike. A month before his death, Refaat pinned the poem to his twitter profile. The poem has since been translated into over 250 languages.

ThirdSpace Theatre is an inclusive, diverse theatre company, and in fitting with their ethos and the themes of the play, the company approached Best Foot Music, looking for musicians from diverse backgrounds, representing some of the cultures, heritages and geographies presented in the play.

Recording

During the performances, the five musicians sat in a line on a balcony above the theatre space, looking down toward the stage. The theatre microphones were set , close to the instruments to amplify them via the theatre PA system, as such there wasn’t space to place recording microphones close to individual instruments or musicians, so I placed a couple of pencil mics in an X/Y position on a small floor stand in the centre of the musicians line, and two large diaphragm condensers at either end. I also had an omni directional mic for general room ambience. The actors on stage had no amplification, but they projected well and the theatre has excellent acoustics. Recording conditions were not ideal, but of course the musicians were there as part of the play, for the audience to hear, and making the recording was just a nice bonus.

Musicians on the balcony preparing for the show

Rehearsal Process

Although the play had been in development for some months prior, the musicians went to their first rehearsal toward the end of October, I went with them to most of the sessions. Watching the different creative teams collaboratively knit the play into a meaningful structure was a engaging educational experience. The script was co written with the young actors, stories were reshaped, soundscapes and effects created, along with stage designs, lights, animated backdrops, costumes and of course the music performances. The first couple of rehearsal sessions the musicians improvised and responded to what they saw, working with music director Kirsty and creative director Tanushka to eventually shape the music themes to each story. They all bought in elements from their own musical heritages and experience, and weaved in a couple of traditional folk tunes from their backgrounds. It was a new experience to us, but the musicians are professional and working with Kirsty and Tanushka, who both bought their years of theatre experience to the project was reassuring. The first time any of those involved saw all the elements combined was on the Friday afternoon, during a full dress and tech rehearsal, before the first public performance at 7.00 that evening.

Creative Rehearsal Session, 16th November, Brighton Youth Club.

Anti Palestinian racism & the community comes together against it...

Simultaneously to rehearsals, a campaign of harassment and intimidation against the play and those involved was being carried out. This should be called what it was; anti Palestinian racism. A small element from the local community, worked with UK Lawyers for Israel, to intimidate those involved in the play, whilst pressuring Brighton Council, the Dome management and the plays financial backers to cancel the performances. Fortunately the creative sector and wider community came out in support. Jewish Voice for Labour, published an article, with a letter, signed by people in the arts, including Michael Rosen. Comma Press published a similar supportive article . Additionally many from the local community, including Jews Against the Occupation and Na’amod offered support. This is not the only time Palestinian artists, or those working with them have been attacked. During the lead up to an event Best Foot Music organised earlier in 2024, I was contacted and told that booking Palestinian artists was ‘problematic’ and that I should be booking Israeli musicians and not other Jewish musicians, at the same time, some of the refugee run organisations we worked with on the event, faced a campaign of harassment for being on the same bill as Palestinian artists. There are plenty of documented cases of other Palestinian artists, or those working with them who’ve had events cancelled for no reason, other than racism and to attempt to prevent people from speaking out against the genocide.

Fortunately the campaign failed, many from the Brighton community and wider creative world, stood up and supported. The play was a resounding success. The entire run was sold out and well received, with standing ovations and cheers.

For me personally, being involved was an immensely rewarding experience. Witnessing a creative multi disciplined project evolve was fascinating; so many people with different skills working together, in a constructive, supportive environment, created something really positive that I’ll treasure for a long time. Hopefully we can all do it again sometime.

Thanks to Tanushka, everyone at ThirdSpace and all those who came out in support for an amazing project.

Music team are

Kirsty Martin; Music Director, Accordion & Composition

Alaa Wehbi; Oud & Composition

Dina Shenderetska; Guitar, Vocal & Composition

Jamal Alsaka; Percussion & Composition

Polina Loubnina; Flute & Composition