Composer & lyricist Jack Godfrey talks new musical ‘Hot Mess’: “I would like to think that Earth and Humanity do have a future together”

Following a triumphant original run at the Edinburgh Fringe, the show is currently celebrating its first season in the London scene. Guillermo Nazara chats with the man behind the show’s score to learn more about its environmentalist rom-com plot, its development from a recycled germinal song, and the production’s globally warm reception.

How does it feel to finally bring the show to the London stage, especially after such a successful first run?

It is so exciting to bring Hot Mess to London, especially to the Southwark Playhouse, which has been a bit of a bucket list venue for me since I moved to London to pursue a career as a writer. And it’s just nice to get another opportunity to share Hot Mess with more people, after the amazing reaction we had at the Edinburgh Fringe.
 
How did the idea for the show come about?

I went through a break-up about eight years ago and started writing some tragic break-up songs about it. One of the songs was called ‘Used To Be’ and the chorus had the lyric “why can’t we be the way we used to be”. One day I was cycling to my job at the time and singing this song (tears streaming down my face, naturally) when a realisation popped into my head: What if this song was being sung from the perspective of Humanity to the Earth? This sparked many long conversations with my co-writer, Ellie Coote, about what it would mean if Humanity and Earth were somehow two people in a romantic relationship, and thus the concept for the show was born!

Is the piece intended to be an environmental call for action?

I think that any piece of art currently being made about the planet and the environment is a call to action in a way. The important thing for Ellie and me has always been to get more people engaging with the question of how we are treating our planet. Climate change can feel like this scary and intimidating issue to engage with, because it feels so big and complicated and hard to reckon with as an individual. In Hot Mess, we want to use the lens of songs and a story about two people who fall in and out of love to reframe these important issues in a way which is entertaining, fun and relatable.
 
Do you think the real-life characters have any prospects of living happily ever after?

I would like to think that Earth and Humanity do have a future together, but I think Humanity needs to do a lot more work (and maybe go to therapy) in order for that to happen. But they are both perfect for each other so I’m definitely rooting for them!

What particular challenges have you found in the development of the show?

The hardest challenge for Ellie and me with this show has always been finding the right tone. When we started writing Hot Mess, it was quite a serious show, and the more that we’ve been writing it the more that we’ve drifted in the direction of making things silly and leaning into the ridiculousness of the metaphor of a planet and a species being in a romantic relationship. I think it’s really helped over the years with getting the audience to feel less like they are being preached to (which honestly no-one wants) and to feel more like you’re just experiencing a really engaging and entertaining story.

Have you had any hot messes during the creative process?

Aside from the break-up which started the whole project, I would say that I’ve been relatively fortunate in that department, at least in my personal life! In terms of the writing process, I always hate to let go of old songs which no longer serve the purpose of the story (even though I know it’s the best thing for the show). And so, we often end up arguing about that. But Ellie and I are very lucky to have a brilliant dramaturg in, Deirdre O’Halloran, who always gives us extremely useful feedback and has really helped us to shape the show into what it is today.
 
How would you describe your approach to the score in terms of style and execution? What are the reasons behind those choices?

I always wanted the score of this show to feel like the kinds of songs about relationships that you might hear on the radio, and the reason for that is that we want the show to feel as relatable as possible, so that people can really engage with the subject matter on an emotional level. We’ve all experienced love and heartbreak to some degree, and I think the core message of the show is that we know it’s wrong to disregard or take our romantic partner for granted, so why should we expect to do the same thing to our planet?
 
Has the piece evolved in any way between its initial run and the current one?

We’ve made a few tweaks to the show since the Edinburgh Fringe, mainly enhancing the sound and lighting while also rewriting some of the earlier scenes and changing the odd lyric here and there. We would love to keep developing the show to make it a bit longer and find more depth in the characters and the journey of their relationship, so hopefully we will get to do that after this current run. 

What are the prospects for the show after this first London run?

We are recording the full album of the songs, and that will (fingers crossed) be released at some point in December! And as I say, we are still aiming to keep working on the show and rewriting and developing it further.

Are there any highlights in the show you’d like to flag?

Danielle Steers and Tobias Turley, who played Earth and Humanity respectively, are both such incredible performers and it really is so exciting to witness them in action. They are both serious triple threats! I think that their big climactic songs ‘What Do You Expect’ and ‘My House’ are the moments that I particularly enjoy in the show. They really are both so perfect for these roles and such a joy to work with. I’m so happy that they are part of the Hot Mess team.
 
Why come see ‘Hot Mess’?

I know it’s a bit of a cliche but I really do believe this show has something for everyone: powerhouse performances from Danielle and Tobias, catchy tunes, silly jokes, unexpected twists, as well as a big emotional core and an important message. The story really is like nothing you’ve seen before and, more than anything, it’s just a lot of fun!

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Production pictures credit to Helen Murray.

Hot Mess plays at London’s Southwark Playhouse Elephant until 8 November. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara