Early on, director Paul Collins sent Daniel Beilby, production composer
and sound designer, a piece of music by Webern: a turn of the century Viennese expressionist composer. “All a bit dense and anguished,” says Daniel. “But I thought, why not take that expressionist, dense sound, but play it with saxophones, piano and jazz drums.”
I want to make it sound steamy and seedy
As early as the beginning of August, Daniel had composed themes for the Duke, Angelo and Isabella. Daniel works with a virtual orchestra on his computer. He invents motifs for characters. He then applies different musical lines to different instruments on a sequencer. Daniel uses
Cubase, with instruments from the Vienna Symphonic Library.
This work produces a rough cut. The bulk of Daniel’s time is then spent sculpting these sounds and making the performances realistic, adding articulations, volume and timing nuances.
The director, Paul Collins, is very enthusiastic about these developments. He has put together a strong team. For him the play is about government. Government of self. Government of others.
Jenny Richardson, the production’s costume designer, is tasked with bringing a little colour to the stage, in contrast with the harsh set.
I’ve got to have some colour!
Jenny runs through her initial ideas: “I’m hoping to make Mistress Overdone into a sort of Cynthia Paine. Shocking pink. Lucio is equally at home in the Court and the brothel. I was thinking a bit steampunk.
Pompey is like a Soho spiv, a greasy pimp. Perhaps a very bright tie, winkle pickers.”
Jenny takes detailed measurements of all the actors, then searches our enormous Wardrobe department for the right fit. She may need to make some costumes from scratch.
This is only the beginning
With a total budget of just £912 (£350 of which will be spent on the stunning set), it is a mammoth task to mount such an ambitious and visually striking production. But one this talented group is more than equal to.
Book now for the best seats 4 - 12 November: Measure for Measure.
Next time: the read through...