Sound Designer Mercedes White and Lighting Designer Nathan Benjamin on their creative journeys

Throughout February our Youth Company performed ‘Grow Up’ over two days in Plymouth at Barbican Theatre. This production was brought to life not only by the young actors but by designers such as Scamp our set designer, Mercedes our sound designer and Nathan our lighting designer. Below we spoke with Mercedes and Nathan about their creative journeys so far alongside how they found creating for ‘Grow Up!’ 

How did you both get into your professions?

Mercedes: This is actually my first official experience under that title. I've been producing since I was about 18 when I used my first drop of student loan to buy a Mac and Logic Pro - been tapping buttons in hopes that it sounded good ever since. This opportunity was honestly such a shock because I didn't realise the sound I produce would be wanted in the space like a theatre, so I'm really honoured to have been chosen for something like this!

Nathan: At my sixth form, there was a student-led technical team. I was already part of the performance community, and the previous head tech approached me to ask if I wanted to join, and eventually lead the team. During my time at university where I studied Acting, I began shadowing Jamie Smith at the Barbican Theatre, Plymouth and found a real love of designing and organising the technical requirements for shows.

What are your highlights of working on 'Grow Up!'?

Mercedes: My highlights would definitely have to include being back in the theatre space. I don't think I've really been in one since I graduated and that was in 2022. It was so nice to see the Youth Company, I was sort of vicariously living through their excitement and nerves throughout the week, and it all really brought me back to being all starry-eyed and ready to give all I had to an audience. I'd say another highlight was being able to see how my compositions fit into the wider scope of the production. Being able to hear the lines performed before a certain track came in, or how movement had been choreographed around the music was a real 'woah' moment for me. Hearing (what I think everyone called the 'main' song) 'Wonder' was super emotional for me because when writing it, it was almost like a conversation between my younger and current self - and to hear Carmen's story and see her perform her dance to it was just...A LOT (but in the best way).

Nathan: I loved working with the young people to create this unique piece of work. The creative team was amazing and a lot of fun to work with. It was a really positive and healthy environment to be creative in.

Nathan, how did you use lighting to represent the stay young vs grown up world?

Nathan: In the stay young world, I created a very warm and colourful lighting palette, reflecting the more unburdened and happier world that we wanted to create. In contrast, the grown up world used colder and more washed out colouring.

Mercedes, what did you draw inspiration from when designing the sound for Grow Up?

It might've sounded quite smooth sailing, but I really had to sit with myself during the composing process. I think even before I had seen the performance I was battling between the freedom of youthful expression and feeling suppressed by the 'need to be perfect' that's picked up as you grow up. Having a sit down with Alix was a big help, as I picked her brain and asked which artist she would choose to design the sound if she could. She let me know that she had artists like Dave, Little Simz and Benjamin Zepheniah in mind (which actually affirmed that this opportunity was for me lol). From there I was pulled in by the orchestral layering that created 'moments' in the tracks to build emotion or - again - leave breathing space. I really had to encourage myself to consider things I hadn't considered before, what would be 'too extra' for the scene, or what needed a bit more 'oomph'.

What are 3 things you need to create joyfully and creatively to the best of your ability?

Mercedes: Headphones (I'm rarely without them, sometimes I forget and wonder why everything on the outside world sounds so muffled). A comfortable space, usually with low lighting, snacks and room to experiment. And honestly? A wall or ceiling to stare at whilst the creativity downloads.

Nathan: 

1.    A creative team that gets on well artistically

2.    Freedom to make artistic decisions, with a creative team that trusts my opinion within my specialist field

3.    A fun project that inspires creativity all the way from its theme to the physical content of the script

Mercedes, you are trained as a performer and now compose for stage. How do you tell stories through these two different mediums?

Mercedes: I think music is another form of non-verbal communication that's actually quite similar to performing with your physical body. On stage, you're trained to show and express emotion and action, but even more so trained to act in between the spaces of what isn't said. There was a real synergy between the two for me I feel, I found myself wondering what music would set the scene for the actors to feel a part of the interchangeable worlds that were created for the Stay Youngers and Adults. Then it was just trying to communicate that without using lyrics (apart from Wonder). Even with that one, I felt moved to write those lyrics just off the melodies alone, it was kind of spiritual lol! I think creating through sound is composing the track in such a way that compliments what's being said in the script, rather than trying to compete, and leaving no breathing space. It was fun!

Nathan, what would you say is the most versatile colour to work with?

Nathan: This is a really tricky question to answer. I personally find that no one colour is more versatile, but rather it is the job of the lighting designer to use colour in a versatile way. I love to use various shades of multiple colours within a design to enhance the performance.

After watching the show, would you have chosen to grow up or stay young?

Mercedes: I think I would've grown up to be honest. I can't help but feel like if you were to stay young, something just remains stagnant - as the production demonstrated actually. I mean if you think about it, scientifically no one can remain alive and stay the same - something has to develop. Growing up frees up space for something else to be born, another generation that wants to come after you to change and shift things for the better, I think that's important!

Nathan: I would have chosen to grow up. While the adult world is often impersonal, in the creative arts industry there is a real push to connect and expand one’s world-view. Staying young with a limit to the knowledge that can be learnt is not something I would want to experience.