Michael Bruce (born 22 November 1983) is a Scottish composer and lyricist working in theatre, television and film. He was composer-in-residence at the Donmar Warehouse theatre during Josie Rourke's artistic directorship there from 2012 to 2019.
His theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing (2011) with David Tennant and Catherine Tate, Coriolanus (2013) with Tom Hiddleston, Twelfth Night (2017) with Tamsin Greig and Antony & Cleopatra (2018) with Ralph Fiennes, as well as the 2021 made-for-TV Romeo & Juliet with Josh O'Connor and Jessie Buckley. In 2022, he wrote original songs for the Netflix mockumentary Hard Cell.
Early life and education
Bruce grew up in Aberdeen, Scotland and first took to the stage in Scottish Ballet's production of The Nutcracker, going on to become Highland Dancing Champion. Done with dancing, he took up table tennis in his teens, playing for the Scotland national team throughout Europe. He then studied as a singer/songwriter at Paul McCartney's Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
Career Early in his career, he worked as a musical director at the Battersea Arts Centre, the Theatre Royal Lincoln and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and also assisted on several national tours, cruise ships and pantomimes. In 2007, he won the Notes for The Stage competition run by the Notes from New York concert series and The Stage newspaper, which led to a concert of his musical theatre work being staged at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.
He soon got his break as the first composer-in-residence at the Bush Theatre, when its artistic director was Josie Rourke. From 2012 to 2019, he held the same position at the Donmar Warehouse, after Rourke was appointed there as Michael Grandage's successor. He wrote scores for many plays at the Donmar, including Coriolanus (2013) with Tom Hiddleston, Les Liaisons Dangereuses (2016) with Dominic West and Janet McTeer and Saint Joan (2016) with Gemma Arterton, all three shown in cinemas across the UK and internationally as part of the National Theatre Live programme, as well as BAFTA-nominated The Vote (2015) with Judi Dench, broadcast live on More4 on general election night.
His other theatre credits include Sonia Friedman's Much Ado About Nothing (2011) with David Tennant and Catherine Tate at the Wyndham's Theatre, Candide (2013), The Two Gentlemen of Verona (2014) and Timon of Athens (2018) for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Noises Off (2012) and Other Desert Cities (2014) at the Old Vic, Privacy (2016) at the Public Theater in New York and The Winslow Boy (2013) on Broadway.
Bruce has also worked on many productions at the National Theatre, including Man and Superman (2015) and Antony & Cleopatra (2018), both starring Ralph Fiennes, The Beaux' Stratagem (2015) with Samuel Barnett, Twelfth Night (2017) with Tamsin Greig and Hansard (2019) with Lindsay Duncan, all of which became parts of the National Theatre Live collection.
In 2011, he released his debut musical theatre album, Unwritten Songs, which entered the iTunes vocal chart at No. 1. He has also written a book called Writing Music for the Stage: A Practical Guide for Theatremakers, which was published by Nick Hern Books in 2016 with a foreword by Josie Rourke. Mark Gatiss called it "a must-read for all those with an interest in how music works on stage", while Judi Dench commented, "A good score makes a world of difference to an actor. Read Michael Bruce's book and you'll understand why. He is a genius."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he wrote the soundtrack for the National Theatre's critically acclaimed first made-solely-for-TV production of Romeo & Juliet (2021), filmed in 17 days in an empty theatre with Josh O'Connor, Jessie Buckley and Tamsin Greig. It premiered on Sky Arts in the UK and PBS in the USA. He also recently wrote original songs for the Netflix mockumentary sitcom Hard Cell (2022) and the original score for The Nan Movie (2022), both starring and written by Catherine Tate.
Composing credits
Film and television YearTitleNotes201310 O'Clock LiveEpisode #3.12021Romeo & JulietNational Theatre's first made-for-TV production starring Josh O'Connor and Jessie Buckley2022The Nan MovieHard Cell6 episodes; original songsGreat PerformancesEpisode: "Keeping Company with Sondheim"2023A Merry Scottish ChristmasHallmark Channel original films2024A Scottish Love Scheme
Theatre productions YearTitleVenue2009Ed: The MusicalEdinburgh Festival Fringe / Trafalgar Theatre2010The Great British Country FeteBush Theatre2010–2011Men Should WeepNational Theatre2011Much Ado About NothingWyndham's Theatre2012Noises OffOld Vic Theatre / Novello TheatreThe Recruiting OfficerDonmar WarehouseBlue Heart AfternoonHampstead TheatreThe PhysicistsDonmar WarehouseEvents While Guarding The Bofors GunFinborough TheatrePhiladelphia, Here I Come!Donmar WarehouseRelatively SpeakingTheatre Royal BathBereniceDonmar WarehouseStraightCrucible Theatre / Bush Theatre2013Trelawny of the WellsDonmar WarehouseNoises OffUK tourRelatively SpeakingWyndham's TheatreStrange InterludeNational TheatreA Little Hotel on the SideTheatre Royal BathCandideRoyal Shakespeare CompanyThe MachineManchester International Festival / Park Avenue ArmoryThe Winslow BoyOld Vic Theatre / Roundabout Theatre CompanyCoriolanusDonmar Warehouse2014Other Desert CitiesOld Vic TheatrePrivacyDonmar WarehouseThe Two Gentlemen of VeronaRoyal Shakespeare CompanyHay FeverTheatre Royal Bath2015Duke of York's Theatre / Theatre Royal Windsor / Manor Pavilion TheatreMan and SupermanNational TheatreThe VoteDonmar WarehouseThe Beaux' StratagemNational TheatreTipping the VelvetLyric Theatre2016Sunset at the Villa ThaliaNational TheatrePrivacyThe Public TheaterLes Liaisons DangereusesDonmar Warehouse / Booth TheatreSaint JoanDonmar Warehouse2017Twelfth NightNational TheatreThe Lady from the SeaDonmar Warehouse2018Harold and MaudeCharing Cross TheatreThe Importance of Being EarnestVaudeville TheatreAntony & CleopatraNational TheatreMeasure for MeasureDonmar WarehouseTimon of AthensRoyal Shakespeare Company2019HansardNational Theatre2020Timon of AthensTheatre for a New Audience / Shakespeare Theatre Company2021The IllusionistUmeda Arts Theater2022Much Ado About NothingNational Theatre
Accolades
Awards 2007: Notes for The Stage competition run by Notes from New York and The Stage 2009: MTM Awards – Most Promising New Musical for Ed: The Musical
Nominations
2009: MTM Awards – Best Lyrics for a New Musical for Ed: The Musical 2009: MTM Awards – Best Music for a New Musical for Ed: The Musical 2013: WhatsOnStage Awards – Best Original Music for The Recruiting Officer 2021: Online Film & Television Association TV Awards – Best Music Composition in A Motion Picture, Limited, or Anthology for Romeo & Juliet
Publications
Writing Music for the Stage: A Practical Guide for Theatremakers (2016), with a foreword by Josie Rourke: "Why every composer gains by writing music for plays", an article published in The Stage on 23 June 2016 "How I wrote the music for Privacy", an article published on WhatsOnStage.com on 19 July 2016
References
External links
Official website