Since first appearing in 1993, cult classic film Hocus Pocus has gradually accrued a huge global fanbase and is now a staple in many homes come Halloween.
This year, audiences will have a chance to see it in an entirely new way thanks to a live concert version that is touring nationwide. John Debney’s iconic score will be played by a full orchestra under the baton of conductor David Mahoney, who says he is thrilled at the prospect.
“When I told the orchestra we’d be playing Hocus Pocus, I’ve honestly never seen so much excitement,” he says. “I think it’s that nostalgia factor – for so many people it’s become an annual watch. And the score is extraordinary, it’s very John Williams-esque, full of colour.”
But that score was nearly very different. The original composer attached to the film was James Horner, who went on to win an Oscar for Titanic. When he dropped out, Debney only had two weeks to compose the entire score for Hocus Pocus. But boy did he deliver.
“It’s only an hour and a half film, but there’s a considerable amount of music in it,” says Mahoney. “To do that in just two weeks blows my mind. It’s hugely symphonic, romantic and melodic. And it’s beautifully orchestrated.”
Mahoney is no stranger to conducting live film scores. He’s been working with Disney for over five years, on concert productions including Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast and Star Wars. He estimates he has worked on 15 different titles in total. Before this he was a member of Only Men Aloud, a singing group that won the BBC’s Last Choir Standing competition in 2008 and went on to win a Classical Brit Award.
David Mahoney
“These events are so exciting,” he says. “They combine film titles that people know and love but with the added energy and excitement that 60 musicians add. I think that’s why they have proved so popular.”
What is it about the format that he loves? “I think it provides a brilliant introduction to orchestral music,” he says. “It’s a theatrical experience, a real event. The feedback we get from people is amazing and I hope we’re inspiring a new generation of concert-goers.”
For Mahoney and his orchestra, it’s a highly technical challenge, as the music must be played in exact time with the film. He uses a system of ‘punches and streamers’, which are more typically used when orchestras are recording a soundtrack. They display flashing circles at the start of every bar, along with lines that indicate the cues. On top of this he also listens to a click track in his ear, which ensures the rhythm is accurate. He must then relay this to the 60 musicians.
“There’s a lot going on,” he says understatedly. “When I first got involved I’d never used a click track or punches and streamers before, so I had to learn on the job. That was The Jungle Book at the Festival Hall, and it all just grew from there.”
He adds that it’s a privilege to get to play a film score from start to finish, as this is so rarely done. And in the case of Hocus Pocus, that includes iconic numbers such as “I Put a Spell on You” by Jay Hawkins and “Witchcraft” by Cy Coleman.
It’s not every day you get to accompany Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, who play the trio of witches who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy in Salem, Massachusetts one Halloween.
“I think seeing Hocus Pocus with an orchestra is really going to elevate it,” says Mahoney. “People are going to be surprised when they realise how much brilliant music there is alongside those big songs. The music is completely integral to the action.”
“I think seeing Hocus Pocus with an orchestra is really going to elevate it,” says Mahoney. “People are going to be surprised when they realise how much brilliant music there is alongside those big songs. The music is completely integral to the action.”
So how would he summarise what audiences can expect? “It’s going to be a perfect Halloween treat – or trick! – for all the family.”
Tickets are available now for 'Hocus Pocus in Concert touring across the UK in October 2022. Disney' Hocus Pocus in Concert is presented by Senbla.
