Illusions, Ghosts and Gravities

got annoyed listening to Jon Bausor who was our first guest speaker on my MA Course at Toynbee Studios.  He was so cerebral and philosophical and extremely clever.  ‘Give me specifics’ I said.  Examples.  He said he  liked  ‘kinetic scenery – which can be moved and participate in the action – a wall you can run up.  He talked of ‘illusions and ghosts and gravities’ I felt out of my depth. He believed in collaboration and being involved in the genesis of the show.  I felt annoyed because I have always struggled when looking at a show visually and was also trying to understand how he came up with such innovative ideas.

I had never given any real thought to the set because I never had enough money with my own productions. Collaboration also requires funding and I always focused on actor lead pieces with minimal production costs.   I dislike props on stage.  I do not like too much ‘mess’ on stage! The first time I was aware how set and costume could impact a production was the ‘Rocky horror Show’ in Magdeburg an hour from Berlin. The theatre had the old Eastern bloc setup of actors, classical singers and dancers – all with secure work contracts.  They were more used to opera than Rock. I was worried the show may not work. However on the dress and tech – the 70’s kitsch costumes and set which was an’ arsehole’ that opened for Frankenfurter’s entrance (talk about subliminal messages) transformed the production.  It was visually interesting and ridiculously and aptly smutty.  However, I have never fully appreciated since then the importance of set to fulfill the needs of the play and the audience and Jon Bausor and Scott Graham made me rethink my approach to visuals.

It can be another character.  So what does that actually mean? I suppose it means the set has as much to say as script to an audience. In other words the set is the narrative.  At times it can be the subconscious of the play harking back to Artaud’s theoretical concepts and his need for the audience to be involved, confronted, made tic or perhaps they always were – I had just not seen the link.  There is the opportunity for symbolism , metaphor and imagery in the set.  ‘Change the perspective of the viewer’ Bausor J.  This was made clear when ‘ The Believers’ by Frantic Assembly, stage design by John Bausor was discussed.     I felt overwhelmed by the detail of thinking that went into those initial discussions. I commented that perhaps the audience didn’t understand this production.  I was not sure if I would have – but theatre is there in front of us.  The angles, the perspectives, the smells, the emotional atmospheres; we are in the room with the actors. I hope I would have understood..

Some of the stage sets that have inspired me –

‘Enron’ by Lucy Prebble – I loved the irony of the play in its use of the dark basement for its IT Department with reptilian masks – almost surreal.

Kneehigh Theatre Company’s ‘Brief Encounter’, a trampoline used for comedic effect for a character to exit,’ Rebecca’ the Cornish sea depicted in a deep pit below the corridors and stairs of the house.

Caroline Horten’s play  ‘Mess’ and the use of the high bed, her haven to escape  from her anorexia within the production.

Soweto Kinch’s production of ‘The Legend of Mike Smith’ .The background animation of urban life to create setting was effective and the animation was really high quality.

Due to a lack of understanding and perhaps an ability to dismiss an aspect of performance I have ignored a vital aspect of Theatre production. The set.  In the sort of productions I wish to collaborate in – I look forward to having that discussion.  I want to spend more time reading the script and exploring the possibilities of allowing the other ’character’ to be on stage. I am already thinking of the visual aspects of’ Bugsy Malone’ at my school which will be performed in June.  I now realise the conversation and discussion about production has to happen from the outset.   I am excited about finding a set designer to work on my theatre company’s next play ‘The Chairwomen’ translated by David Hale set in Vienna. I now realise that there is so much more to be explored, discussed and argued about with the artistic collaborators.

Jon Bausor was concerned after his talk. Was I ok?  Had I understood everything?  Had it been useful?   I assured him that it had. I had even more respect for his humility in caring what a slightly stroppy MA student had understood. Humility is also very necessary in collaboration.