A rare chance to see ‘part 7’ of the Star Wars franchise, with the full score by John Williams performed by live orchestra, took place at the Royal Albert Hall this weekend.
Directed by JJ Abrams, Star Wars – The Force Awakens (2015) is set 30 years after The Return of the Jedi (1983). It’s the first film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
This epic space opera’s score was performed tonight by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by Ludwig Wicki.
The film
I first saw the film 10 years ago on its cinematic debut. At the time I called it ‘crowdpleasing’, ‘enjoyable, if a little redundant and in no way essential’.
Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is missing, with no one seeing him for years. The Republic and the Resistance are in cahoots against The First Order, in which Kylo Ren (aka Ben, the son of Han Solo and Princess Leia, played by Adam Driver) leads the charge of stormtroopers.
When one of the stormtroopers, Finn (John Boyega), helps the other side, events are set in motion to bring the franchise story back to the old gang.
Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger, and BB-8, a friendly droid, hold a secret or two which become clear as Star Wars – The Force Awakens progresses. And there’s a shock to be had in the closing minutes. The new faces fit right in with the old crowd, with some other familiar actors making brief appearances.
Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca, Leia (Carrie Fisher; now a general), and C-3PO are all present and correct, with new alien creatures populating the galaxy. Full of special effects and props, there is still an emotional and personal story at the film’s heart. We may be somewhere ‘far, far, away’ but the universal themes of love, justice, and commitment remain.
As both a fitting sequel to Return of the Jedi and a prelude to The Last Jedi (focusing almost entirely on Luke), Star Wars – The Force Awakens is fast-paced, engrossing and entertaining.
The orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra repertoire includes film music, video game scores, music from the musicals, and symphonic arrangements of classic rock and pop songs, as well as the more traditional classical pieces.
It was an honour and a thrill to be present to hear this group of exemplary musicians bring the music of John Williams to life, even if it was sometimes possible to get engrossed in the film and forget they were there.
Conductor Wicki handled early technical problems well and with good grace, and each section of the orchestra offered an accomplished contribution to the evening.
As one of the most requested films to receive the ‘In Concert’ treatment, this is not the first time Star Wars – The Force Awakens has been screened at the Royal Albert Hall. Seeing and hearing it in a concert setting in such an imposing venue allows the music to be truly experienced right down to little flourishes and moments you may miss in a traditional cinema or home viewing mix.
The experience
High on cosplayers in the audience and with enthusiastic applause whenever an original character appeared (even a low-powered R2-D2), this Star Wars – The Force Awakens screening proves how much the franchise is held in high regard.
This is cinema at scale and at its best, and with Williams’s scores often being cited as some of the most exciting and influencial of all time. For Star Wars – The Force Awakens the original themes and ideas from the beginning of the franchise are present and they are utilised to develop new character themes and ideas.
If you get the chance to attend one of these screenings, I would definitely take it in preference of another TV showing. The scale is epic, the sound impressive, and the spectacle is riveting.
Films in Concert continues next week with Home Alone and further titles have been announced for 2026: details here.
Image credits: The Royal Albert Hall and Lucasfilm