We sat down with sound designer, Dan Balfour, to take a peek into the creative process behind Stranger Beasts. From overcoming the unique challenges of working with outdoor terrain at Geevor to crafting an immersive soundscape that blended music, environmental elements, and local influences, Dan shares his journey of designing sound for this unforgettable production.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your career?
Dan Balfour: Yeah, sure! My name’s Dan Balfour, and I’m a sound designer working across the UK. I’m based in London but grew up in Retford, North Nottinghamshire where there was very little exposure to theatre. I studied at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, graduating in 2015. Since then, I’ve been working as hard as I can as a sound designer, and it seems to be going alright!
Before discovering sound design, I was really into music. I played percussion/ drums and went to Tech Music School in East London to explore becoming a session musician, but quickly realised that wasn’t for me. I was into drama with my mates, and we ended up making a theatre company when we were teenagers, just figuring it all out as we went. That’s where I unknowingly did my first sound designs, one of them involved us holding a microphone to a fan, turning it on and off at certain cue points for a live drone effect. We didn’t know what we were doing, but we loved it.
Eventually a friend, who was pursuing directing, told me I should consider sound design as a career. I had no idea it was even a thing, but when I found out you could actually make a living doing sound design, I went for it. I love making theatre, it’s such a rewarding process, the way you connect with audiences and stories is really special.
How does your creative process begin when you’re hired for a production like Stranger Beasts?
It totally depends on the project, but I always start with the text. I read the script, then have conversations with the director to understand their vision. For Stranger Beasts, the Director, Mydd Pharo, wanted the sound to be continuous and seamless throughout the show, which was a promenade performance. That meant the sound had to follow the audience as they moved between scenes.
The process really started with a site visit. Mydd walked me through the whole story, location by location, explaining what he wanted to achieve. We listened to Benji Bower’s incredible score and took in the atmosphere of the landscape. That initial visit was crucial for shaping how the sound would work within the terrain.
How did you work within such challenging terrain like Geevor?
For Stranger Beasts, we had to build a completely custom sound system that met a number of specific requirements. As there was limited power onsite, coupled with budget limitations, we needed battery-powered speakers that could be used in multiple locations (typically they’d only be used in one position for the entire show). As we were outdoors, they needed to be water and weatherproof to deal with the elements. Our brief was for a constant and seamless audio experience, so we required speakers that could also be carried by the cast in a lightweight backpack design, whilst delivering high-quality sound that could cope with the demands of a musical production. The only viable loudspeakers for this specification turned out to be the Soundboks 4 and GO. In total we used 18 Soundboks speakers, with the smaller GO model worn as backpacks to provide our seamless audio. These speakers were used to provide sound reinforcement for 5 unique performance locations, each with wildly different audience configurations. These included Thrust, End On, In the Round, Traverse and Promenade. Whilst the audience were watching each scene, our team would move the previous site’s system to the next in a ‘bunny hop’ fashion. It was a great workout!
In order to achieve reliable multi channel wireless audio to our 18 Soundboks, we opted for a wireless radio solution using IEMs (In Ear Monitors). Each speaker was connected to a radio pack that would connect to our sound desk. Another requirement was for our actors to be audible at a distance, above musical underscore and the general atmosphere of the environment, so we needed to amplify them with wireless radio microphones, again connected to our sound desk. This meant that our audio system relied entirely on wireless technology.
Now for the most complicated part. Typically, wireless audio has a range of 50-100 metres and Stranger Beasts covered a distance of approx 500m² across Geevor. In order to maintain good connection to our sound desk and wireless system, our sound desk and control system had to travel with us, throughout the performance. We needed a solution that could cope in all weathers, across Geevor’s wild, rugged terrain and be absolutely silent so as not to disturb the performance. For this we opted for an Electric Offroad Gator, that was converted into a portable Sound Operator Position, complete with a practical weatherproof enclosure for our equipment and operator. So not only was our sound system completely wireless, it was also 100% mobile!
“We were working in a place where the earth is literally bleeding core metal into the ocean. That inspired the sonic textures we used.”
Where did you draw inspiration for the sound design of Stranger Beasts?
A lot of it came from the environment. Stranger Beasts has a mythical, folklore-like story, but it’s also a response to the landscape, specifically how humanity has scarred and damaged the land. We were working in a place where the earth is literally bleeding core metal into the ocean. That inspired the sonic textures we used.
Most of the show’s sound was music-based, with Benji composing a stunning score. My role was about shaping how that music integrated into the space and enhancing it with subtle environmental sounds, like recordings of waves crashing against the cliffs, which we blended into the soundscape.
Were there specific environmental sounds or acoustics that you incorporated into the production?
We used a lot of real-world sounds. Quarry explosions and earth movements were a big part of the opening sequence, where the action took place in front of a massive mound of granite gravel. Fire was also important, there was a lot of pyro in the show, and we enhanced that with the sound of roaring flame and burning.
Did you incorporate any local sounds, music, or voices into the soundscape of Stranger Beasts?
Yes, we did! We worked with local artist Steve Jacobs to provide voice overs for a character who acted as the voice of humanity. That was really important in grounding the production in the community. We also had a community choir, who not only opened the show but were integrated throughout the production’s music.
Getting the choir to work technically was a challenge, we didn’t have the budget to individually mic them all and had to mix the audio to complement their voices in the natural environment. Simultaneously we had to ensure they could hear enough of the track to keep in time whilst providing a clear, full, and well rounded sound for our audience. This is usually all standard practice, however when dealing with constantly shifting weather conditions that caused a fluctuating noise floor of the environment, without the budget to add more speakers…this became quite a delicate balance. It was a true collaboration between sound, environment and performance, which added a beautiful, authentic element to the production.
“It’s a powerful communal experience that reminds us of our place in the universe.”
Was there a pivotal sound moment in Stranger Beasts that stood out to you?
Yeah, towards the end of the show, all the sound gets sucked in and we hit total ‘silence’. Up until that moment, the audience has been immersed in a full, layered soundscape, music, sound effects, dialogue, everything. Then, suddenly, it’s just gone, and you’re left with the natural sounds of the environment. It’s the first time we experience this, making us hyper-aware of everything. The sounds that so commonly become background noise are brought into vivid focus, the call and repeat of birdsong, insects buzzing in the bushes, the distant ocean waves crashing against the rocks and the wind whistling past our ears. It’s a powerful communal experience that reminds us of our place in the universe.
Another standout moment is when the Stranger character appears. The music in that section had to capture mystery, tension, and a sense of a long journey, all in one track. Benji’s composition really nailed that feeling of intrigue and uncertainty, making the audience question who this person is and what their arrival means.
What were the biggest obstacles you faced in designing the sound for Stranger Beasts?
Outdoor work is incredibly challenging. You’re constantly dealing with unpredictable elements.
One of the biggest technical hurdles was the effect of granite gravel on radio frequencies, it completely scatters RF signals, which made it really tough to get clean wireless audio – and Stranger Beasts relies on a fully wireless system. Granite is highly reflective to radio waves, and because we were working in an environment covered in granite gravel, our signals were bouncing unpredictably, creating high noise levels, interference and dropouts. It was like trying to light a room covered in diamonds, you can imagine how the light would scatter around the place. Sadly for us there were no diamonds, and we were using radio waves.
I was discussing this issue with a local in St. Just, who had been driving fence posts into the earth around his land that day, he said “It’s been a tough one, Cornwall is full of Granite and is one of the hardest natural stones on earth. So when you hit it, you simply have to move on and find somewhere else for your fence to go, this is why walls in Cornwall are the way they are, they’re dictated by the Granite. It’s a truly humbling moment when you come across it and a good reminder that we are to work with nature, not against it.”
This was really helpful to hear, I began thinking of how we can work with the Granite. We began carefully positioning our antennas to try and maintain line-of-sight communication with our speakers and microphones. We also experimented with different frequencies to find ones that were less affected by interference, but even then, we had to constantly troubleshoot during tech rehearsals.
“At one point, I had to strip the whole system apart and reassemble it an hour before the show started, while the audience was already waiting!”
Then there was the issue of setup and teardown. Every day, the entire sound system had to be installed and then packed away again, often in difficult weather conditions. This meant ensuring that all components were easily transportable and could be quickly deployed without compromising the sound quality. On some nights, we had heavy wind and rain interfering with our wireless signals and speaker placement, making live adjustments essential.
At one point, I had to strip the whole system apart and reassemble it an hour before the show started, while the audience was already waiting! That was terrifying, but it worked in the end. It’s those moments of problem-solving under pressure that really push you as a designer.
Another major obstacle was ensuring that sound levels remained balanced throughout the performance while considering environmental noise. Since Stranger Beasts took place in an outdoor, rugged setting, we had to be constantly aware of how wind, water, and even audience movement affected the acoustics. There were moments when we had to amplify subtle sounds more than expected just to counteract the ambient noise.
What guidance would you offer to those looking to pursue a career in sound design, particularly in immersive and site-specific theatre?
Get out there and do it. Meet people, take any opportunity you can, and try to get experience on productions, whether that’s assisting, shadowing, or even just helping out in any capacity. I worked for free a lot when I was starting out (which isn’t ideal, but sometimes necessary) to build my CV and connections.
Find a mentor. For me, that was Tom Gibbons, he let me assist on shows, passed work my way, and gave me invaluable advice. Reaching out to sound designers whose work you admire can be a great way in. If you love someone’s work, contact them and ask if you can shadow them. You never know what opportunities might come from it.
I also think the traditional university route is worth questioning. It’s incredibly expensive now, and hands-on experience might be a better way to learn. If you can find a way to get practical experience while supporting yourself financially, that could be more beneficial than a degree. That said, studying at Central gave me access to resources, connections and hands on experience I wouldn’t have had otherwise, so it’s about weighing up what’s best for you.
The most important thing is to stay curious and adaptable. If there’s something you don’t know how to do, research it, learn it, and try it. The best sound designers are the ones who are constantly evolving and willing to problem-solve in new ways.
Want to get involved in one of our site-specific projects? Find out how you can get involved.
Sound Team:
Dan Balfour – Sound Designer
Jasper Knight – Sound Engineer
Eliot Allison – Sound Engineer
Luke Stockbridge – Sound Operator
Dan Balfour is an Olivier Award Nominated Sound Designer. His recent credits include; Dear England (National Theatre, West End); Vanya (West End, Off Broadway); More Life (Royal Court Theatre); Cherry Orchard (Donmar Warehouse, St Anne’s Warehouse NY); I Am Kevin (Wildworks).
Stranger Beasts was directed by Mydd Pharo and written by Mercedes Kemp and Mydd Pharo.
Photo credits: Hugh Hastings
