I first came across the heartbreaking story of what happened in Bhopal in 1984 when I scored the BBC One film One Night in Bhopal in 2004, marking the 20th anniversary of the disaster. It was a story that stayed with me.
So, 42 years on, it was particularly meaningful to return to Bhopal through Darkling, produced by Actors Touring Company and Bush Theatre, which opened last week.
Rather than telling the story of the disaster on a huge scale, Darkling brings it down to a deeply personal level, following a young girl, her sister and their father, and the devastating impact the failure of a chemical plant has on their lives. It’s a poignant and harrowing story about one of the worst chemical disasters in history, and one whose effects are still being felt by so many people today.
For the score, I wanted to find a balance between sadness and darkness, while leaving room for a vestige of hope. I also wanted the sound world to subtly reference the 1980s, placing the story in its time period, but in a slightly subversive way given the often bright and optimistic nature of 1980s synth-pop.
The real challenge was bringing that palette together with more Indian-inspired textures and sounds, and finding a musical language that could sit naturally between the two worlds.
I’m really happy with how it came together, and with how the music has become part of the world of the play.
If you’re in London, do catch Darkling if you can. Link Below:
