The Third Coming of Jesus Christ opens Sunday 18th October at the Golden Goose Theatre, bringing an absurdist comedy around human nature and free will. Learn more about what you can expect:
1: What inspired you to create this production?
I am the composer for this project, so I was brought in after the script had been written, but the play has such clear themes it was so easy to connect to the show musically and create the score. So of course, the writing was a huge inspiration, but one of the biggest inspirations has been watching the show come to life. Reading the script is great for the journey, but the detail and life comes from the actors. The energies that our wonderful cast bring to the show are what have driven the music’s journey.
2: How do you interpret the themes of free will and human nature in this play?
Such huge topics are sometimes hard to encapsulate musically. I think a lot about how the music itself is an expression of human nature, as it comes from the emotions I feel from others, and the moments we want to capture together. Music, for me, is the epitome of being human. We can say so much with words and feel nothing, but we can play music and feel everything, and I would love to harness that for the show.
3: How was the creative progress?
It was a difficult one for me, to be sure. It has been a busy year and stress can really strangle my creativity. However, I am lucky to be surrounded by a supportive and incredibly inspirational team. I often do my planning and research before the rehearsals start, and then write whilst watching the rehearsal, as that is where you see the characters evolve and you can help map the arc of the story with the music. There are always multiple versions of pieces, and I love listening to them as they develop. I think humour is such a hard thing to grasp musically, debating whether you want to go down the slapstick route or aim for something light, or even go the opposite direction and have something intense to juxtapose the comedy onstage, and I think this show is a really beautiful blend of silly and serious.
4: Do you have a personal connection or particular interest in themes of spiritual landscape and human choice?
Spirituality is a constantly evolving thing for me. I think it is beautiful to have something to believe in, and the more I experience life, the more that thing takes shape. As I get older I learn more about the type of person I am and the type of person I want to be, and choice is really all I have in my power to shape that. There are things I would have liked to have done differently in life, sure, but if I didn’t make those choices, I wouldn’t have learnt about myself enough to make my new choices, which I think is exactly what you get from this play by watching Cain.
5: What do you hope audiences take away from the production?
I hope they come away with many things to think about. I hope they think about all the different things that can influence a choice. I hope they choose to think about their own choices and how they want to make the most of this life. And really, I hope they laugh. I hope they think about how funny and silly it all was, and they smiled about something today. It’s easy to be bogged down by the heavy questions, so I would love for our audiences to think about those things with a light heart.
6: What has been the most enjoyable part about creating The Third Coming of Christ?
Oh that’s so difficult. Thankfully, I am part of a team that loves a challenge, and is always excited to try new things and create something new, so there is always joy in all of our projects. However, I’d have to say the rehearsal process has been absolutely mad in the best way. Everyone has had so much to offer in the space, and it has made writing the music so easy. Their understanding of the characters and Gabrielle’s vision has made our space constantly filled with laughter and chaos, it’s addictive the amount of fun you can have with this play.
The Third Coming of Jesus Christ opens Sunday 18th October at the Golden Goose Theatre. Many thanks to Ciara Cogley for answering our questions. Book your tickets here!
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