Final Set Design

Due to the Theatre Royal having quite a small stage I had to condense the room from my initial idea, making the space in between scenery/props much smaller, and in some cases not including certain bits. I decided not to make the staircase stretch all the way from one side of the stage to the other. Instead have it start from the middle of the stage.

Idea for window scene

For the staircase I'm looking at making a straight edged one rather than it being curved.

Initially I had thought about having a black and white set, with the only colour visible being red. However I thought this would be more obvious to a Film Noir set. Plus I could still create a dingy, dim set using dull colours and lighting. So I decided to use dim colours like browns, greys, and blacks. I wanted the wallpaper to be quite light so that the dirt would show up on it more. And I will also be having splashes of red colour in the set. For example, a red carpet and a couple of red books. I knew what I wanted to display, but I couldn’t get it down on paper. I would just have to start making the scenery and props and see where it would lead.

Making The Set Model

Seeing as the stage and proscenium arch fitted together nicely on the white foam board, I decided to go ahead and start the black model. My drawings were placed over the foam board and secured to it and I began cutting. (I did attempt to use AutoCAD for my technical drawings, but it didn’t work out, so I hand drew them. The only downside was that to save my original copies, I had to re-draw them so that I could use them as templates over the foam board.)

Once the main structure of the model box had been cut out and slotted together, I focussed on making the lighting rig.

This consisted of Cutting strips of foam board 5mm wide and slotting them together on the roof of the model box.

II then started on making the boxes. I cut around the template of the boxes and on a large strip of card started scoring lines to create a curve. I then manoeuvred the curved strip of card around the box template until I was happy that the curve stayed had in line with the base.

Straight piece of foam board were added and glued together to complete the shape. I cut out another box template to place on top of the structure; not only to strengthen it but also to enable me to stay at the right angle- as I’d only created the lower half of the box. The same procedure took place for the top half.

I know this seems like a complicated way to create the boxes, I’m sure there was an easier and more accurate way, however I did it creatively.

To work out the correct seating plan, I cut out the strips of foam board for the seats using my technical drawing to cut over. I then placed that over a large piece of foam board that was to be used as the base for the set model. Where the strips had been removed, I placed my foam board strips into the spaces- to hopefully get a more accurate positioning.

I cut out 5mm strips of thin card to place over visible foam. However, since the boxes have been added there will be more foam to cober up.

When the boxes were in place i covered them with black paper to hide the score marks. Unfortunately, in parts, some of the paper had become creased or wrinkled when glued together, which is a shame.

Costume Development

The scene I have chosen is aimed at the queen and how she copes once she finds out she must give up her child. Even though Rumpelstiltskin is not in this part of the scene (he returns the next day) I have still looked into possible costume ideas for his outfit. After starting with the original idea that Rumpelstiltskin is a pixie like creature, creating mischief- as it were, I have come up with some sketches.
Firstly- looking into the Gothic Victorian style:

However, for the character of Rumpelstiltskin I find these outfits too gentleman like. I would imagine Rumpelstiltskin to be more sly, and appear quite creepy looking.

Rumpelstiltskin in his original appearance: (or at least how I imagined him)

Within this genre I would imagine Rumpelstiltskin to appear more ‘Fagin’ like (Oliver Twist) or even like the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

                 Fagin                                                                           The Child Catcher

The Queens Costume Development

By this scene the young girl has now become Queen. Therefore you would expect her costume to be expensive looking.

For the medieval period that Rumpelstiltskin is originally set, I would imagine the Queens costume to have looked something like this:

However I have set it in the Victorian era, in which dresses would be more like this

Or in a Queen's case, like this:

I also have a few photos of Victorian costumes taken at the Dicken's Festival in Rochester.

The Gothic Victorian dress worn by Mrs Lovett (Helena Bonham-Carter) in Sweeney Todd is a dress similar to what I would picture the Queen character wearing. However their class in society are completely different.

The drawing on the right is a sketch taken from a picture of the character Mrs Lovett.

 I don’t think this matters with the genre I have chosen though; the Queen supposedly lives in luxury, yet the man she has married only married her due to pure greed, and presently she lives in worry because of the thought of having to give up her child. I think her inner feelings of imprisonment, loss and sadness can be portrayed in the clothes she wear; layers of netting; messily sewn together. Black material; a dark colour; perhaps to portray dark and sad feelings. The touch of red to her outfit makes her whole attire look beautiful, even though the netting is coarse and roughly put together.

Perhaps the Queen’s dress is actually an expensive garment, but because of the way she feels, that is all she sees; that is all the audience sees. The mansion she lives in is actually not decaying at all, but is portraying the inner feelings of the Queen. How very symbolic.

Her costume suits the genre of horror I feel, which works wells with the decaying, creepy setting.

See costume bible sheet for costume realisation.

Textures

One textured surface that we looked at in class was a ‘cracked wall’ effect.
Kapaline foam board is the best type of foam board for this technique, as it enables the top layer of card to be cut away cleanly leaving the foam underneath.
The design was drawn onto the piece of foam board, and the chosen part cart away carefully with a scalpel. Then we scaled down a life size brick to a 1:25 scale, which worked out at 8mm by 3mm. Lines were then marked out onto the foam board as to where the bricks would be. A scalpel wasn’t needed to dent into the foam for this as the pencil was sharp enough. Using acrylic paints I then painted the bricks. Fine surface filler was then smeared onto the surrounding area to create a plastered wall effect. Once dry I painted it and added detail.
Knowing that my set will be decaying I think this will be a good technique to include.

Technical Error

After finally completing two technical drawings for the Theatre Royal, I decided to start to cut out the proscenium arch and stage and try and fit them together. Luckily i used the white foam board, because they didn't fit. I had to literally force to stage through the proscenium arch, which ripped into the foam board slightly. I tried again, but still no luck. It turned out that I'd got the scale factor wrong on the drawings. The technical drawing showing the proscenium arch was scale factor 1:50.99 and the plan view drawing was 1:117.64. So only slightly out.
I had also been measuring the proscenium arch on the plan view from a different point. Meaning the measurements on the two drawings were different, and therefore would not fit together. If only I had realised this sooner.

After doing the technical drawings again, this time using the correct drawing scale factor, I decided to test it out on white foam board to make sure they fitted before using the more expensive black foam board. I made copies of the technical drawings, and using the copy, placed it over the board to start cutting out. This time the two pieces fitted together. Therefore I didn't want to waste any time starting the black set model. If these two pieces fitted together perfectly, surely the rest will too? Besides I was already behind due to the measuring mishap.

The Woman In Black

Over the christmas holidays I went to see The Woman In Black in the Fortune Theatre in London. I was very interested to see how minimal the set was. The two actors used the props given (a chair and a large wicket basket) to create what was needed. However at points during the performance, the lighting changed, enabling the audience to see through the back curtain, to which there was a graveyard, which later became a room full of toys.
There was also a staircase that was used, (behind the curtain) that lead to the top of the house in one of the scenes. As part of the audience, I felt it didn't matter that that the set was minimal, I was still drawn in by the use of sound effects and lighting, (and good acting of course.)

This has made me consider the necessary props and scenery for my set.

Scenery and props

If I am to depict a rundown house/ mansion, I would need at least one truck with decaying walls, perhaps where paint has come away, or wallpaper is peeling off. Although not important, I have shown a staircase in a previous set drawing, which I may wish to incorporate. The staircase would enable more choice of direction when entering and leaving the room, rather than just walking off to the side, there would be an option of going up the stairs, or coming into the room down the stairs.

 A chandelier would help to portray the grandness of the house, however I’m not sure how I would display it. Either it could be painted on to a backdrop, or perhaps it could be made out of wire and hung above the set. The only concern with this would be with scene changes and whether the chandelier would get in the way.

A chair might be another prop I will make for the set. Again there is no definite need for it, but it would add to the atmosphere of the set.

1800s Gothic Throne Chair

I've decided that my set will be quite minimal. There only needs to be two backdrops in the play in total; one of the interior and one outside. Different props can be moved on and off stage to depict the scene. Other than that sound effects and lighting will help to portray the mood and atmosphere of the scene. The backdrop for the scene i have chosen will be a painted continuation of the room the 'Queen' is in; decaying wallpaper, cracked walls etc.