Composer Conrad Murray talks hip hop theatre in Deep Azure
Conrad Murray is a familiar name at ET – we’ve followed his incredible career from early days with Beats & Elements through award-winning work for young people at Battersea Arts Centre’s Beatboxing Academy and collaborations with iconic companies such as Rambert, to name just a few. This season he’s really hit the big time, composing for the late Chadwick Boseman’s play Deep Azure, which is directed by one of the UK’s most innovative, respected directors, Tristan Fynn‑Aideneu. If that’s not enough, the show is playing at probably the most famous theatre in the world, Shakespeare’s Globe, in the gorgeous Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. We caught up with Conrad to find out more about the project.
Hi Conrad. Thanks so much for taking time out to chat with us today. Firstly, can you tell us a bit about the play itself?
The play is all told in verse, so it feels like rap and it feels like Shakespeare. It is about injustice and police brutality. It is also touches on eating disorders and grief. But there is a spirituality and a positivity throughout.
How does it feel bringing hip hop theatre to such an iconic venue? It seems like history in the making!
It feels INCREDIBLE bringing hip hop theatre to the Globe! It’s the Wanamaker space, but that is STILL the Globe. It feels like a dream come true, and that I’m part of a historic moment. I’ve been creating hip hop theatre my whole career, so it feels natural that I’m part of this. But it definitely seems like a different step in my career.
I also feel a big responsibility, as there will be a lot of eyes on this production, and expectations. The team they have put together is incredible, so I think we are gonna create quite a spectacle. This is a Chadwick Boseman script, so it is an honour to be able to play in his sandbox, and create in his world for a while.
Can you tell us about your role in the production?
I am a co-composer and co-musical director working with John Pfumojena. A lot of what I’ve been doing is bringing the beatboxing to moments of the production, as well as some melodies and musical vocal moments. We got the cast to beatbox in their auditions, which was cool, as beatboxing is an important part of hip hop culture.
I have put the whole cast through a couple of beatbox boot camps, getting them to be able to beatbox the foundation beat and to get into the groove with each other. This allows us to be able to play and have a common language of sound. A lot of the cast could already drop some beats, and Selena (Jones), who plays Azure, has come along to the Beatbox Academy I run at the Battersea Arts Centre, which shows her dedication. She is extremely talented and can now drop some beats!
Who will be beatboxing in the show?
You will actually hear the entire cast beatbox in the show, as there are some parts where everyone drops beats! That is pretty sick, and it’s great to bring such a core hip hop essence to this show, and to the Globe! There are a couple of beatbox experts in the team who are holding down the beatboxing throughout the production: Nadine Rose-Johnson, and Khai Shaw. Both are incredible beatboxers and hip hop theatre artists, able to rap, beatbox and sing. Both were part of Romeo & Juliet which I composed for Polka Theatre, and which won an Offie Award for music and sound. I have actually worked with both of them on other projects, including award winning Frankenstein, Crongton Knights and Pied Piper – A family hip hop musical. I’m working closely with them both, but not being didactic, giving ideas and prompts for them to be able to do their stuff and bring their personal skills and style.
You’re working with the incredible Tristan Fynn‑Aideneu – how’s that been?
Very, very cool. To see his level of detail and exploration is very cool. He’s a big deal at the moment, and had a lot of success, as well as being a respected director and practitioner. I love the fact that he is paying respect to beatboxing, street dance, locking and rap within this performance. He is diversifying the industry and bringing different voices, bodies and cultures to the stage.
How do you think the show will impact on both old and new audiences at the Globe?
I think that it will show the power of hip hop theatre (something that both I and Chadwick are passionate about), and the fact that we need new stories and new storytellers at the Globe. This still pays homage to the bard (whom Chadwick loved), but moves the dial. Hopefully, it sets a trend of hip hop theatre at the venue. It will definitely bring in a whole new audience to the Globe and will possibly inspire kids to get into theatre and Shakespeare, who thought it wasn’t for them.
Thanks very much to Conrad for taking time to tell us about this groundbreaking piece of work.
Deep Azure plays at the Sam Wanamaker Theatre from Saturday 7 February to Saturday 11 April.
