Contemporary Issues Contemporary Issues for Theatre Design – for Theatre Design –

Dragon’s Den for Dragon’s Den for DesignersDesigners

Group E – Laura Group E – Laura Mulholland, Katie French, Mulholland, Katie French,

Monica V.BurgosMonica V.Burgos

‘‘Glacier’ – The Lakeside TheatreGlacier’ – The Lakeside Theatre ‘‘Glacier’ is a contemporary piece Glacier’ is a contemporary piece of Theatre performed at the of Theatre performed at the Lakeside Theatre, Nottingham.Lakeside Theatre, Nottingham.

It is a touring piece.It is a touring piece.

There are seven actors There are seven actors performing an emotionally performing an emotionally charged and highly imaginative charged and highly imaginative insight into the topical issues of insight into the topical issues of global warming and the global warming and the environment.environment.

There is no dialogue throughout. There is no dialogue throughout.

The audience at the Lakeside was varied, but there The audience at the Lakeside was varied, but there were no young children.were no young children.

We personally thought that the play had a bit of a We personally thought that the play had a bit of a slow start, and got better towards the middle, ending slow start, and got better towards the middle, ending brilliantly.brilliantly.

We also thought that one of the actors costume was We also thought that one of the actors costume was a lot more striking than the rest, she was wearing a a lot more striking than the rest, she was wearing a black dress, whilst the others were wearing shades black dress, whilst the others were wearing shades of grey. We feel that more attention was being drawn of grey. We feel that more attention was being drawn to her than should have been.to her than should have been.

The Lakeside Theatre is a studio space with a raked The Lakeside Theatre is a studio space with a raked auditorium, all seats would have had a good view, as auditorium, all seats would have had a good view, as there are no restricted views.there are no restricted views.

The performance was successful, the audience The performance was successful, the audience would have all interpreted it differently but there was would have all interpreted it differently but there was a clear message.a clear message.

They used a shock method, showing the reality of They used a shock method, showing the reality of what happens when oil leaks in the sea, denoted what happens when oil leaks in the sea, denoted cleverly through dance.cleverly through dance.

It could be performed in many different It could be performed in many different spaces/theatres which makes it a good touring spaces/theatres which makes it a good touring piece.piece.

‘‘Fame’ – Royal Concert HallFame’ – Royal Concert Hall ‘‘Fame’ is a musical, that was Fame’ is a musical, that was

adapted and performed by adapted and performed by

Nottingham Trent Dance.Nottingham Trent Dance.

It was a one off, amateur It was a one off, amateur

performance, with the cast and performance, with the cast and

audience members consisting audience members consisting

mainly of students.mainly of students.

It was a lively performance with an enthusiastic It was a lively performance with an enthusiastic audience.audience.

The choice of play was excellent – ‘Fame’ is a The choice of play was excellent – ‘Fame’ is a popular and enjoyable musical that gaurantees popular and enjoyable musical that gaurantees audience participation and a feel good atmosphere. audience participation and a feel good atmosphere.

The choice of space and venue were good, there is The choice of space and venue were good, there is no fly tower in the Royal concert Hall but we feel the no fly tower in the Royal concert Hall but we feel the set was fine and wouldn’t have benefited at all from set was fine and wouldn’t have benefited at all from having that option.having that option.

All seats offer a good enough view of the stage and All seats offer a good enough view of the stage and the performers.the performers.

We feel that the technical team let the team down, We feel that the technical team let the team down, the mics were constantly on and off resulting in the the mics were constantly on and off resulting in the singing sounding off, and at some points you singing sounding off, and at some points you couldn’t hear the actors speaking. Had the tech team couldn’t hear the actors speaking. Had the tech team been better this would have enhanced the been better this would have enhanced the performance.performance.

It was a success in terms of the seats all being sold but It was a success in terms of the seats all being sold but it wasn’t the most successful performance we have it wasn’t the most successful performance we have been to in terms of entertainment and accuracy.been to in terms of entertainment and accuracy.

The set was successful, but not different, it was the The set was successful, but not different, it was the same as previous productions we have seen in London, same as previous productions we have seen in London, but we agreed that there wasn’t a lot that could have but we agreed that there wasn’t a lot that could have been done differently because Fame is such a well been done differently because Fame is such a well known musical .The way the steps were was a good known musical .The way the steps were was a good space saving idea – saving space. The set and space space saving idea – saving space. The set and space available was well used.available was well used.

The Royal Concert Hall is a large venue, all the seats The Royal Concert Hall is a large venue, all the seats had a decent view. had a decent view.

We felt maybe the casting could have been different, we We felt maybe the casting could have been different, we would have cast different actors in different roles.would have cast different actors in different roles.

‘‘Fiddler on the roof’ – Theatre Fiddler on the roof’ – Theatre RoyalRoyal

‘‘Fiddler on the Roof’ is a musical Fiddler on the Roof’ is a musical that became one of the longest that became one of the longest running productions on Broadway. running productions on Broadway. It is now on a nationwide tour.It is now on a nationwide tour.

We watched the production at We watched the production at The Theatre Royal, it is a large The Theatre Royal, it is a large theatre, with a fly tower.theatre, with a fly tower.

It was a very successful and It was a very successful and professional production.professional production.

The set designer gave a good interpretation of the The set designer gave a good interpretation of the period the play was set and the Jewish culture.period the play was set and the Jewish culture.

There was a very good audience response, from a There was a very good audience response, from a mixed audience.mixed audience.

Our favourite scene was the dream scene, it was Our favourite scene was the dream scene, it was excellent and portrayed using surreal lighting, excellent and portrayed using surreal lighting, choreography and stage direction.choreography and stage direction.

The set was well designed, we especially liked the The set was well designed, we especially liked the flooring which was floor boards, they were painted flooring which was floor boards, they were painted cleverly to look like they were going into the cleverly to look like they were going into the distance.distance.

The only thing we weren’t expecting is the The only thing we weren’t expecting is the ending – it wasn’t a happy ever after ending ending – it wasn’t a happy ever after ending – it left you wondering whether or not they – it left you wondering whether or not they made it to New York, it was very effective made it to New York, it was very effective though.though.

How does Theatre work How does Theatre work differently to a filmic differently to a filmic

experience of a night-out experience of a night-out and in what ways do and in what ways do

designers and producers of designers and producers of work need to reflect on work need to reflect on

these issues?these issues?

Film –Film – Stop and start - you can film over a number of Stop and start - you can film over a number of

days/weeks. Allowing for mistakes and re – days/weeks. Allowing for mistakes and re – runs.runs.

You can film close ups / long distance.You can film close ups / long distance.

It is possible to have large costume changes, It is possible to have large costume changes, maybe taking a long time.maybe taking a long time.

It is also possible to have dramatic set It is also possible to have dramatic set changes, change of location, cover wider area.changes, change of location, cover wider area.

The director is able to cut and edit if things The director is able to cut and edit if things don’t run in the order he/she wants. don’t run in the order he/she wants.

The film can be viewed from different The film can be viewed from different angles and different perspectives.angles and different perspectives.

Costumes have to have different qualities – Costumes have to have different qualities – close up filming means that the costumes close up filming means that the costumes must be very detailed and accurate.must be very detailed and accurate.

Theatre:Theatre:

Limited set changes can be made at a Limited set changes can be made at a theatre performance because of time – the theatre performance because of time – the audience waiting in darkness.audience waiting in darkness.

The same angle of viewing is there The same angle of viewing is there throughout, can’t do close ups, or very long throughout, can’t do close ups, or very long distance.distance.

The audience reaction is live so therefore it The audience reaction is live so therefore it is a better atmosphere – the actors feed of is a better atmosphere – the actors feed of the audience and vice versa. the audience and vice versa.

The costumes need to be different – they The costumes need to be different – they will be viewed from a distance so they need will be viewed from a distance so they need different qualities to those in a film. They different qualities to those in a film. They also need to be very durable to last the also need to be very durable to last the entire length that the show is touring for / entire length that the show is touring for / on stage for.on stage for.

The scenery needs to be painted in a way The scenery needs to be painted in a way that makes sense from the back of the that makes sense from the back of the auditorium but also from the stalls, so it auditorium but also from the stalls, so it needs to looks realistic and represent what needs to looks realistic and represent what it is.it is.

The PitchThe Pitch The play we have chosen to pitch today is a The play we have chosen to pitch today is a

contemporary piece which we wrote ourselves in a contemporary piece which we wrote ourselves in a previous critical practice session.previous critical practice session.

It is designed to be shown to a younger audience as It is designed to be shown to a younger audience as an imaginative insight of space. But any adults an imaginative insight of space. But any adults accompanying them would also enjoy it.accompanying them would also enjoy it.

The play is about a group of people encountering the The play is about a group of people encountering the first holiday to the moon.first holiday to the moon.

We have chosen this play because we feel that it is a We have chosen this play because we feel that it is a highly imaginative piece that will entertain and also highly imaginative piece that will entertain and also be informative and educational in learning more be informative and educational in learning more about the moon and it’s surroundings.about the moon and it’s surroundings.

We follow them as they take a journey into the unknown We follow them as they take a journey into the unknown and encounter strange things for the first time.and encounter strange things for the first time.

We have chosen to perform our production in We have chosen to perform our production in The Theatre Royal, the main reasons for this The Theatre Royal, the main reasons for this are:are:

It has a fly tower – this will give us more It has a fly tower – this will give us more opportunity to fly cloths in and out and not opportunity to fly cloths in and out and not just have one throughout. just have one throughout.

The stage is bigger – so we will have more The stage is bigger – so we will have more space to work with and more opportunities to space to work with and more opportunities to try new things.try new things.

There is a main curtain so we can hide our There is a main curtain so we can hide our set at the beginning and throughout when set at the beginning and throughout when we want to change scenery.we want to change scenery.

There is more masking at the sides by the There is more masking at the sides by the wings allowing for more space for storage wings allowing for more space for storage of extra scenery and props.of extra scenery and props.

There are 5 main characters – A public school boy, a There are 5 main characters – A public school boy, a celebrity, a crazy scientist, a chav girl, and the celebrity, a crazy scientist, a chav girl, and the holiday rep. They will be dressed in stereotypical holiday rep. They will be dressed in stereotypical clothing.clothing.

The Theatre RoyalThe Theatre Royal

Characters and Characters and costume ideas.costume ideas.

Main backdrop ideasMain backdrop ideas.. These are some These are some

ideas that ideas that we are we are thinking of for the thinking of for the main backdrops, we will use main backdrops, we will use

a few for different a few for different scenes – scenes – travelling travelling there, and for a there, and for a difference from day to night.difference from day to night.