Tim Minchin on composing for Cat In The Hat: ‘I’m best at making people cry’
Tim Minchin said he is “best at making people cry” as he reflected on writing music for the new The Cat In The Hat film, which he described as a story about “never letting go of the joy of innocence”.
The upcoming animated film is based on the 1957 book written and illustrated by Dr Seuss, and stars Bill Hader as the chaotic title character who tries to bring cheer to two siblings trying to adjust to life in a new town.
The Cat In The Hat features an original score by Grammy-winning composer Lorne Balfe and a theme song written by Australian-British comedian Minchin, who also performs on the track.
During an interview with the Press Association, Minchin discussed the importance of the soundtrack and how it helps capture the “spirit” of the new adaptation.
“Music is a way to get your feelings out, and creativity is a release and an escape,” he said.
“With The Cat In The Hat, this telling of the story is all about letting yourself go.
“It uses the end of the children’s book as a jumping-off point for a completely new story that embodies its spirit.
“But it completely departs from the text, so what I was serving was this film and its spirit.”
Discussing the title track, he added: “My job was to create an earworm banger that reflected The Cat In The Hat’s unbelievable optimism, positivity, energy, and childlike glee in the world.”
Minchin, who has written lyrics for West End shows including Matilda The Musical and Groundhog Day, continued: “Probably the thing I’m best at is making people cry.
“But how I do that is very much to do with how I use words and music together.
“The lyrics are a game in this song. They’re not doing narrative work and they’re not doing emotional work.
“It’s playful and eclectic.”
Balfe, who has composed scores for action films such as Black Widow and Bad Boys: Ride Or Die, also spoke to PA and discussed how it felt to write music for the playful world of Dr Seuss.
“The good thing I’ve always felt about the world of Dr Seuss is that there are no rules,” he said.
“It’s very much that you can create anything you want, and you can’t be at fault because of it – which means you don’t have guidelines.
“You don’t have to worry that you’re going to make something that’s wrong because it can’t be wrong.”
The pair also reflected on how the plot of the film is “music based”, as main character Gabby is a trumpet player while her mother used to live a “rock and roll” life.
Balfe said: “I think a lot of us that got into music did so because of escapism, and that’s very much what the story is.
“It’s escapism from reality, and it brings happiness. That’s something very magical about music, and that’s why it’s a very big part of this film.”
“You become an adult and you realise how important it is to never let go of the joy of innocence – and this story does that absolutely,” Minchin added.
Published: by Radio NewsHub