Research: Theatre sets and shows

I've always found theatre to be an influence in my work, and I get to see a lot of it while outside of university.  I find it very inspirational as it creates a new place with set, lighting and props. And overtly so, I like the idea of a 'staged' piece that you can enter and be transported into another place, inside the theatre the outside world almost doesn't seem to exist and yet what you watch can directly relate to you, society, culture, history and the world outside the theatre. I like that is isn't just entertainment, it's relevant and informative and I think that's a good thing to take on board when creating.

Matilda: The Musical

I went to see this around Christmas time as it's a new show that has just opened at the Cambridge theatre. The set is really impressive and I think there is a nod to Quentin Blakes style in the cluttered letter blocks and bright colours in the sets and props.

I like the use of shadow puppetry in this production, it was used to tell a story Matilda was imagining and so there was a device to separate the storytelling within the story. The shadow puppetry also was used with animation for more complicated motions and the set played with composition; the shadowed figure fell and the backdrop of the set became a birds eye view. I liked the different angling. 

In this video you can see the set and the use of lighting and how that creates an atmosphere very similar to the style of writing and story from the original text.

War Horse

War horse is one of my favourite productions and has been something that has influenced me throughout this year. I wrote my dissertation on the use of visual art in theatre and this production was one of my main articles. The strip at the top you can see in the top photograph is a enlarged ripped piece of paper from a sketchbook one of the characters draws in. the scene changes are shown in projections of sketches showing the journey is art from realism to cubist shapes of war artists which reflect the changing atmosphere.

What really inspires me though is the puppetry of the horses. They have great character and are modelled quite clearly on real horses. I really like the materials used to make them - wood, leather, light cloth, and that they relate to the farming background and materials of the time and place. 

I like the mix of realism - the shape and build of the horse, mixed with the materials used and the way the puppets have been constructed being left on show.

The movements and character of the horses are well adapted in the materials the puppets have been made from. 

The lighting of this show is also visually very interesting. The light is warm and soft at the beginning of the story in Devon and moves to harsh white light as we move into War. There are strong sharp lights for strobe lighting in the front line, and for explosions. Lighting is used to shield as well, we don't see the tank in the last photo until it comes fully onto stage. I think lighting is very powerful in creating atmosphere and tension and is something that can be used in many mediums.

His Dark Materials 
Through research I found out about a production of His Dark Materials based on the book series by Philip Pullman. The show used puppets for the many animal characters. They are simpler then the puppets made by The Handspring Theatre company for War Horse but I like their simplicity, like the main body of the creature in the top picture, which allows movement similar to that of a real ermine.

The sets seem quite simple but I like the icicle drops to create scenery and a more imposing atmosphere here.

Some of the costumes had similarities to the separately handled puppets. I like the simple shapes used to create the rolling bodies of the bears and their shoulders higher than their heads. 

I'm looking at these due to my long ongoing inspiration from them. Theatre provides other genres from visual arts like dance, movement and music but techniques can be taken and brought into visual image just as visual image can be used in theatre. I think my inspiration from theatre will be long lasting and it is therefore important to address this influence in my final major project.