Stage/Set Design
The above is a picture of the stage and set design of a Swedish production in 1969. What do you notice about the design of the stage and set?
Looking at this production, what stands out about the stage and set design? What specific elements make this overall vision of the design?
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Write 500 words on ideas for your stage/set design. You may use the internet for research and inspiration. Think about the following questions:
- How would you design the layout of your performance space? (e.g - end-on, arena, in the round etc.)
- How would you design the stage? Would you have a lot of set or would it be minimalist? Would you make use of technology?
Remember to justify each choice you make, relating to your vision and style, the audience and the play.
Georgia Theodoulou - Quotes that relate to Stage/Set Design
"A fine, grey stone sky."- Scene 9
"Fog creeping in - Everywhere grey"
"Everyone's an abyss- you get dizzy if you look down" -Scene 10
"It's all round me. Everywhere. Round, round, on and on and on..."- Scene 15
Georgia Theodoulou - Stage/Set Design
My stage would be a thrust stage- the fourth wall being
the ‘background’. I would have the audience slightly raised so they were above
the acting space, reflecting the idea that Woyzeck is under the watchful eye of
anyone and everyone around him and is trapped. As my vision for Woyzeck is
stylised, I would have large, leaning, dark, abstract rectangular shapes jutting
out from the ground at the back of the stage. These would then serve as
buildings, trees and shadows and would create a nightmare-ish and absurd style
for the set and also create the impression that Woyzeck is small and relatively
insignificant in comparison. I would have a shadow image of window panes
projected onto these shapes for the scenes that take place indoors. The set
would be all different shades of greys and black, as the dark colours are a
recurring theme throughout the play, and are mentioned at various different
points. To help create the idea that Woyzeck is being watched throughout, and
that he has no control over his life, I would have the character of the
Grandmother placed behind these absurd shapes at various different points in the
play, only just visible by the audience. Such as scenes between Marie and the
Drum- Major, when Woyzeck buys the knife and when Woyzeck finds out about the
affair. This would also intensify the eerie and nightmare-like feel I want for
my production. I would like the sense that Woyzeck is almost intimidated by
these shapes, but the other characters are not phased by them- as if to them
they are normal buildings/trees. I would have the other characters use these
shapes: The Doctor would use them as his ‘board’ and Marie and the Drum Major
would use them whilst ‘canoodling’: leaning against them, playfully running and
hiding and dancing in-between them. I think this would be effective as it would
create the impression that Woyzeck is paranoid and going mad.