Realising the set
Members of the Measure for Measure team meet to discuss set realisation. This
is the process of creating a real-life version of the set model agreed in
August. The set must be functional, and safe for the actors and crew. And it
needs to provide the desired backdrop to the dark and dangerous world of
Shakespeare’s play.
With a tight budget to stick to, the set-building
team will try to use items already in stock wherever possible. Often, they will
have to adapt bits of set from other shows. This theatrical recycling requires
an in-depth knowledge of the Questors’ workshop, a veritable treasure trove of
what looks, to outsiders, like a large collection of bits of wood.
The cages provide the first test. The plan is
to have two of these, each measuring 3m by
3m by 0.5m, built with scaffolding or aluminium, covered by black mesh. Each cage will have a set of wheels so they
can be moved quickly and easily between scenes.
Dramatic
The cages will be covered by black mesh, used to create dramatic lighting
effects that will contribute to the claustrophobic, nightmarish quality of this
Measure for Measure.
At the meeting the team discuss the weight of
the cages, their manoeuvrability, and how noisy it will be to move them.
At the back of the stage there will be a
window, another opportunity to create atmosphere. The team decide to use flats
to create the rectangular framework. (A flat, short for ‘scenery flat’, is usually
made of wood, painted and positioned on stage to give the appearance of
buildings or other background.) The team will do a test assembly to see if the proportions
work before adding the final touches.
A few wooden blocks, moved between scenes,
will provide all the necessary furniture. There are a number of blocks of the right
size in stock, but they have lids which need to be adapted, and hand holds need
to be cut in the top. Still, it is cheaper by far to make these adjustments
than to start from scratch with new materials.
Once construction is complete, the next stage
will be the get-in, when the set is moved into the Judi Dench Playhouse.
Book tickets for Measure for Measure
