Props: Maps and Stocks
Had another great meeting last night, this time with representatives from props, set, and lighting. Mostly, we settled on deadlines and budgets, but we also got a chance to discuss some of the aesthetic challenges which lay ahead of us.
John Younie and Doug Verdin, my two props wranglers, are confident that most of the essential props (letters, purses, stools, etc.) can be found or modified from materials in the Walterdale props room. There are still a few challenges, of course. First, we need swords, and Walterdale doesn't have any in its permanent collection. We're going to see if we can change that.
We also need a great big map of England, and we'll need to find a way to attach the aforementioned sashes to it (and then detach them quickly). John has already done some research, and found a number of images of old maps which we can reproduce on canvas or leather.
Then there are Kent's stocks. This is going to be very challenging and potentially very rewarding. I told them I didn't want to go with the familiar arm or leg bands. What I wanted was a system of manacles that hoisted Kent up into the air, and then something unstable underneath him (like a barrel or a see-saw board). As I told them, this was one of my only chances in the play to visually literalize the theme of "imbalance"--we can't tilt the whole stage around, but we could put Kent on a "dangerous" tilting surface and leave him hanging for a bit.
Of course, it can't really be dangerous for the actor; but it has to look precarious and painful. We discussed a few ways to effect this, using a flat-bottomed barrel or a fixed see-saw. The manacles, they said, would be no problem; we already have some in props storage (man, I love theatre!).
Discussions regarding lights and set were also productive, but we're still at very early stages. I think John Henoch, my set designer, was very shocked to learn that I didn't want lots and lots of levels on my set. "A big flat plane and nowhere to run to" was all I asked him for.
John Younie and Doug Verdin, my two props wranglers, are confident that most of the essential props (letters, purses, stools, etc.) can be found or modified from materials in the Walterdale props room. There are still a few challenges, of course. First, we need swords, and Walterdale doesn't have any in its permanent collection. We're going to see if we can change that.
We also need a great big map of England, and we'll need to find a way to attach the aforementioned sashes to it (and then detach them quickly). John has already done some research, and found a number of images of old maps which we can reproduce on canvas or leather.
Then there are Kent's stocks. This is going to be very challenging and potentially very rewarding. I told them I didn't want to go with the familiar arm or leg bands. What I wanted was a system of manacles that hoisted Kent up into the air, and then something unstable underneath him (like a barrel or a see-saw board). As I told them, this was one of my only chances in the play to visually literalize the theme of "imbalance"--we can't tilt the whole stage around, but we could put Kent on a "dangerous" tilting surface and leave him hanging for a bit.
Of course, it can't really be dangerous for the actor; but it has to look precarious and painful. We discussed a few ways to effect this, using a flat-bottomed barrel or a fixed see-saw. The manacles, they said, would be no problem; we already have some in props storage (man, I love theatre!).
Discussions regarding lights and set were also productive, but we're still at very early stages. I think John Henoch, my set designer, was very shocked to learn that I didn't want lots and lots of levels on my set. "A big flat plane and nowhere to run to" was all I asked him for.
posted by Scott Sharplin at 2:40 p.m.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home