The Twits was a regular read for me as a child, and I remember feeling uneasy about how mean they were. I wanted to bottle that sense of unease and marry it with the inherent comedy in the script. I wanted to build a world for the Twits that was musically a bit loose and DIY in places, but also with specific character instrumentation.
For example, Mr. Twit is scored with low, flatulent brass, whilst Mrs. Twit is followed around by an off-key operatic soprano that represents her failed singing ambitions. Conversely, the Mugglewumps have a purer, more beautiful palette, utilizing lush strings and a musical saw that lean into their sense of empathy.
There are a lot of weird and wonderful characters, and their individual sounds are glued together with a kind of orchestral Americana.
Inside Oli Julian’s rhythmic approach to Netflix’s The Twits