Louis Barabbas @louisbarabbas Twitter profile

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 months

Remember, when you see evidence of your work in public… be cool.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 months

The firefighter braces really help when you’re secretly cosplaying as Jodie Whittaker under your PPE. #doctorwho #13thdoctor #firefighter

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

I’m dead against national military service but strongly believe there should be a specific national service initiative in which Eton boys work in a supermarket/factory/hotel etc for a year before entering politics.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

I can finally tell you what I’ve been writing all these mysterious songs for. A musical adaptation of CORALINE! This has been such a wonderful project and collaborating with the amazing @ZinnieH and @jamesbrining has been a dream!

Neil Gaiman’s Coraline to become ‘dark, spangly’ stage musical

Playwright Zinnie Harris and composer Louis Barabbas’s adaptation of the novel will open at Leeds Playhouse and tour in 2025

www.theguardian.com

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 months

Completely by accident I posted this on the seventh anniversary of Jodie’s casting announcement. There must be something in the stars.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 months

My anti-AI stance mostly stems from the threat it poses to the arts sector (and a little bit to do with Terminator coming true), I hadn’t considered the dire environmental impact those systems have. Excellent🧵 below…

Chris Alvino

@ChrisAlvino

4 months

I still can't get over how bad AI has become. And this is coming from a computer scientist who spent over a decade studying and programming AI. I fucking LOVE AI, but here are 10 reasons I absolutely fucking hate it now, a 🧵 ...

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

10 years

A mate of mine interviews celebs for a living. He made this video as a surprise for his wife on their wedding day: http://t.co/e7cbV5URlR

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

After five years of not being able to tell EVERYONE IN THE WORLD about this project it’s so brilliant seeing people excited about it. Can’t wait to share it with you all!

WestEndTheatre.com

@WestEndTheatre

5 months

CORALINE A MUSICAL based on Neil Gaiman’s book to premiere at Leeds Playhouse & tour Based on Neil Gaiman's @neilhimself hit book, Adapted by Zinnie Harris @ZinnieH , Music by Louis Barabbas @louisbarabbas Starts @LeedsPlayhouse Spring 2025 Read more:

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 years

I just wish, for once, we could have a national crisis that DOESN’T involve that dickhead from Wetherspoons giving his opinion.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 years

I may not be gigging these days but under the PPE I’m still a Musicians’ Union man. @WeAreTheMU #behindeverymusician

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

I wished to write the songs for an amazing story and look what happened.

Leeds Playhouse

@LeedsPlayhouse

5 months

"Be careful what you wish for...”🖤 Join us in Spring 2025 for the world premiere production of #CoralineAMusical – a spine-tingling new family friendly musical based on the novel by Neil Gaiman. 📅Fri 11 Apr – Sun 11 May 2025 🎟️

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

6 years

I realise people following this account probably did so either because of my songs, label or union work but if anyone’s interested in my ongoing firefighter application, I just passed all the practical and fitness tests, just my medical to go and then it’s onto actual training!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 years

The best thing I learned today is that putting a question mark next to an exclamation mark (?!) is called an Interrobang. An INTERROBANG?! I love it. I’m going to be interrobanging on about this for a long time.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

7 months

Well if you’re going to spend all day at three different wildfires at least do it on a bank holiday and get paid double time!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

7 years

My mum just got in trouble at the supermarket for hiding all the Daily Mails. Yep, she's pretty great.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

I caught covid by sitting on the projectile side of an infected bagpiper. If there is a more Scottish way of testing positive I’d like to hear it.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 months

@SymonPeak73 But I can tell you from experience that the fire engine is definitely NOT bigger on the inside!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

Cannot even begin to express what a joy this week has been. Such a lovely welcoming team at the @NationalTheatre and a gorgeous group of actors, movers, designers and puppeteers. Looking forward to the next step!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

Photo of me and @ZinnieH back when we were workshopping #Coraline at the @NationalTheatre studio a couple of years ago. Didn’t share at the time as I thought the cardboard button glasses might’ve given the game away!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

Carrying PPE from station to station while acting as import crew feels like I’ve got a toddler in a hold-all.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

7 months

So I guess my new big claim to fame is I once punched an Olivier award winning writer then got punched by another #Olivier award winning writer. Congratulations @mincemeatlive ! #olivierawards #operationmincemeat

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

1 year

My main job is supposed to be writing for musical theatre but as side-hustles go, putting out fires with @fire_scot is pretty awesome. I never thought the two jobs could overlap though! Check out @DunveganFire ’s music video here:

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

I know what you're all thinking but are far too polite to ask: how did someone like you get such an amazing composing job? A blog on #Coralineamusical

Coraline

The news is out. The secret I've been keeping for over five years. Probably the hardest secret I've ever kept! A secret that was ultimately divulged by The

louisbarabbas.com

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

9 months

I am now more famous for giving up rock music than I ever was for playing it!

STV News

@STVNews

9 months

Rocker frontman swaps the stage for firefighting on Scots island.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

7 months

It’s a nightmare trying to have a conversation with @FelixHagan now he’s famous but it was still nice to catch up at #musicaltheatreconference . Good luck at the Oliviers! @mincemeatlive

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

6 years

Just had my first call out as a firefighter. Turned out to be a false alarm but I have now been in a moving fire engine with blue lights flashing and no one can take that away from me.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 months

Audition time!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 months

Day two of Coraline recalls: GO!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

6 years

Just got off the phone with Scottish Fire & Rescue Service who informed me my application is at the next stage. This’ll be my first job interview in years. Yep, I’ve officially applied to be a fireman. I figured my future biography needs hotting up.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

Another wildfire

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

Just pitched a new musical at @the_lowry for @MercuryMusicals #BEAM2023 . Lovely panel, very friendly and encouraging. Now to check the news, anything interesting been happening in the government?

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 years

Found some litter while walking near the loch, picked it up and discovered it was a partially decayed Bedlam Six album. This is one of the weirder things to have happened when out with the dog.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 months

How brilliant is this?! I have become a cartoon!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 years

A rehearsal room! Not a rehearsal Zoom!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

I love that we’re all celebrating the new #Coraline musical but spare a thought for my mother who has a button phobia. Challenging times. My Other Mother is thrilled though. #koumpounophobia .

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 years

My crew mate sent me a satisfyingly heroic photo that’s much more jolly than the one I put up this morning. #wildfires

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 years

I’ve been songwriting in this beautiful room the last few days. There’s no phone signal or internet so I get a lot done but there’s a very distracting view, seals keep popping up and looking at me!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

As an obscure singer-songwriter who’s now in reluctant middle age it’s reassuring to know that I’ve still got it.

Stampy Cat

@stampylongnose

2 years

Listening to @louisbarabbas while walking the dog and the trumpet started playing in time with her pooing. Made my day. I hope everyone else is having a good one.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

This has been such a pleasure to work on (and indeed continue to work on), hope you all LOVE it!

WhatsOnStage

@WhatsOnStage

5 months

Coraline musical to have world premiere tour next year

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

6 months

Yes it is quite a strange job at times.

Dunvegan Fire Station

@DunveganFire

6 months

Here’s @louisbarabbas gently encouraging a young lamb to not be in the road when fire engines are using it. #NotJustFires

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

I mean, this kind of scene is fun in December but I’ve got stuff to do today.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

I think, maybe, we might be announcing the show I’ve been working on since my 30s sometime soon. I think. Maybe.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

7 years

In non-Rock&Roll news: just bought my first wheel barrow. In Rock&Roll news: it's black metal.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 months

Child actors really amaze me. I’ve been writing this show for nearly six years and know this character so well and just spent all day with three dozen potential Coralines and they all bring something different and unique. So impressed with their talent. It’s a real honour.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 years

@NatashaHodgson In my first year of uni I laughed uncontrollably for an hour at “200 channels and nothing but cats” then a woman from the flat above came to see what all the hysterics were about and concluded I must be deeply troubled. That woman was @Bry_dog_ and we’ve now been together 17yrs.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 months

Been busy taming and wrangling #Coraline songs with arranger Claire McKenzie @wearenoisemaker . Looking forward to everyone hearing them next year!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 years

Nearly lost my trademark eyebrows at this one.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

The musical I’ve been working on for a million years is getting workshopped at The National Theatre next week, so as far as I’m concerned, no covid precaution is too extreme right now.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 years

I try to limit my dog pictures on twitter (that’s what Instagram is for) but I rather like this one from today’s morning walk.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

I got the job! Working with lots and lots of amazing creative people on a multidisciplinary arts project across Skye & Lochalsh. All thanks to those lucky dog hairs.

Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

I have a job interview today for a really interesting arts project. Haven’t ironed a shirt since before the pandemic and I think it shows. Hopefully the stubborn dog hairs on my smart trousers will distract them from that.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

7 years

Hate it when musicians go all political.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

7 years

My great grandmother used to get the local conservative party to drive her to the polling station and back. She voted Labour. #ge2017

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 months

What a lovely day with the Coraline team. So many talented kids singing my songs, I feel so lucky!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 months

After writing zillions of songs about buttons and button-eyes it’s a nice change to be writing a musical that has no buttons in it whatsoever (except melodic ones). It’s about firefighters so it’s all zips, straps and velcro!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

Photo of me on the night shift. That’ll teach me not to dream of being in a sci-fi movie.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

6 years

A bit different from my last group but the tour van is definitely an improvement.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

6 years

Fire fighter training starts today. As of this morning I’m officially on the SFRS payroll.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

Tickets for #CoralineAMusical (Spring/Summer 2025) are now on sale at all the theatres in the run. Go go go! @LeedsPlayhouse 11th April - 11th May @HOME_mcr 15th May - 7th June @BirminghamRep 12th June - 22 June @lyceumedinburgh 26th June - 19 July

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 months

Me and Claire @wearenoisemaker fighting over the button halo (I get it Monday-Thursday, she gets it Friday-Sunday) after #CoralineAMusical table read.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 months

Under my PPE today is a reference that only very hardcore Doctor Who fans will get! #doctorwho #drwho #magpieelectricals #10thDoctor #12thDoctor #firefighter

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

Miriam and I are doing a night shift at a neighbouring fire station to help with their crew levels. Spending the night at an unfamiliar fire station feels like the plot of a John Hughes film.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

Why does someone ALWAYS call 999 during #strictly ?!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

8 months

The only one in the crew who DARES to rock the orange goggles.

Dunvegan Fire Station

@DunveganFire

8 months

It’s that time of year again… #wildfire

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 months

Me revealing what’s under my PPE is by far my most popular tweet, but I was smuggling #DoctorWho references into my previous job as a touring musician too! I’ve always been very timey-wimey, the fire service won’t change that!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 months

After twenty five years of songwriting I have, for the first time, rhymed “maybe” with “baby” - the line is narratively, thematically and emotionally earned and sung completely without irony. Exhilarating.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

Had a midnight shout and the roads were an ice rink. Almost slid into a ditch twice as I drove to the station in first gear. Painfully slow progress and the second crew got stuck behind a crashed bus. Be careful on the roads this time of year everyone.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

I am now 40. As you can see from this photo of me aged 27 I have been preparing for this moment for a long time.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

This is a very new experience for me having Neil Gaiman excited for something I’ve written rather than the other way around. #CoralineAMusical

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 years

Lovely weather we’re having. So lovely we had six fire crews out enjoying it for about nine hours!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

My partner asked what I’d like to do on my birthday. I said I’d like the two of us to watch all 10 episodes of Patrick Troughton’s final Dr Who story. She replied “I would do anything for love but I won’t do that” thus honouring both Meatloaf and the annual disappointment ritual.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 years

The amount of times I record a demo then listen back only to hear my dog has been loudly sighing through all of it... that’s so rarely the vibe I’m going for.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

8 months

Five years since I passed my initial training at Oban @abewdhq fire station and joined the @DunveganFire crew. Singed my celebrated eyebrows a couple of times but wouldn’t change it for the world.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

To the lovely people who’ve recently started following me since #CoralineaMusical was announced: Welcome! Brace yourself for lots of photos of my dog and the odd random post about my other job working for @DunveganFire .

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

Wind is annoying when you’re struggling against it, but I love watching the waterfalls being blown upwards!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 months

I wouldn’t be who I am if I hadn’t done theatre as a kid. It gave me confidence and a sense of value. I was so shy before. That’s teenage me as the MC in Oh What A Lovely War! “Goodbyeeeee…”

The Lyceum

@lyceumedinburgh

2 months

Does anyone else have magical memories of making theatre from when they were younger? 😍🌟 Our Lyceum Youth Theatre classes are returning soon for the Autumn term, and there's still space to secure a spot for ages 5-19. 🎟️

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 years

My favourite response to Coronavirus came from my partner this morning: “So I’ve been sacked from work and I can’t socialise?” *picks up electric clippers and shaves her hair into a mullet*

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 years

Passed my breathing apparatus and fire behaviour training. Knackered but very happy, had a great time at @InvergordonFire , now back to @dunveganfire where I’m finally a full member of the team!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 years

Shout out to people who’ve spent years working from home suddenly faced with partners in the house asking why so much of their “creative process” involves watching Star Trek in their pants.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 months

Me giving songwriting advice: Just write, just get something down, write fast, write instinctively. Improve it later, just do it. Me actually writing: Why isn’t this instantly perfect? Why aren’t I better? What am I doing with my life? Where’s the wine?

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 years

Getting patronising replies from red-faced men about “controlled heather burning” after my crew have literally spent three days trying to extinguish miles of blazing moorland is like getting a small glimpse into a woman’s experience of twitter.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

6 years

Just did my first job interview in ten years. And I only mentioned Brexit once.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 months

Bit concerned the blog I wrote about getting the Coraline job is being taken as a “never give up” motivation piece. If your mind or body needs to rest then rest. Quitting doesn’t have to be forever, you need to look after yourself. Don’t let the thing you love make you ill.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

8 years

Being photo-bombed by the police at the anti-Trump demo with Hannah @MoulettesBand

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

Unscheduled Christmas get-together with the fire crew!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

It’s great when you’re a complete fanboy of something that’s made by your friends. @mincemeatlive is such a great musical.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

5 years

Drove past this mother and child at the bus stop. Didn’t have the heart to tell them the next bus isn’t for another nine hours.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

1 year

You can take the firefighter out of show business but you can’t take the show business out of the fire fighter.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 months

I had a sudden surge in followers when I was announced as songwriter for the Coraline musical but that was nothing compared to what happened this week after *that* photo! What a crazy few days, I’ve loved it.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

6 months

Working hard testing the pressure of hydrants on a sunny day in Skye

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

2 years

Posts like this are why I like being part of the village Facebook group.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

Writing dark shadowy songs in a totally unhelpful environment.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 years

We didn’t buy a tree this year, just cut branches off one that had blown down and fashioned our own. Then @Bry_dog_ constructed an ingenious base to offset the natural curve of the main branch. It’s good living with someone practical!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

As if I didn’t already feel like I was living inside a children’s book, my partner has just started volunteering at the local animal sanctuary knitting jumpers for orphaned lambs.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

6 years

A beautiful girl has entered my life. Isn’t she just the greatest?

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

7 months

This dramatic photo of my crewmate Scott (pic 1) is to pay him back for the dramatic photo he took of me a couple of years ago (pic 2). #wildfire

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 months

This has been such an unexpectedly lovely day thanks to the best part of the doctor who fandom (and one random spur of the moment tweet). What a lovely community, all just saying really kind and complimentary things. It’s been a difficult week and you’ve all helped so much!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

4 months

Musical theatre gives me so much joy. But WRITING musical theatre… that’ll be what gets put next to “cause of death” on my death certificate.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

28 days

Went to see @SWtheatre ’s brand new musical To Save The Sea last night at @TronTheatre . Full house and standing ovation from all. Now THAT is what we like to see when new musicals come out! Well done to @A_R_McGregor @islacowan and the company!

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

3 years

People who don’t like musicals say they’re shallow, but our team has spent nearly three years, eighty songs and a dozen script drafts interrogating all the subtext, post-structural-post-everything meta shit, melodic foreshadowing etc and sometimes I wish those people were right.

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Louis Barabbas

@louisbarabbas

6 years

I've finally attempted to answer that question about ceasing to gig. It's one of those messy TLDR blogs that needed to be written a lot more than it needs to be read.

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