Trucks

A rectangular or square base on wheels that can be moved (“trucked”) on and off stage. Depending on the size it can carry a small scene (actors, props, scenery)

Above is an idea of what could go on a truck for a ‘naturalistic’ scene/play.

The idea would be to design and make a small part of a room to suggest the space. YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE THE WHOLE ROOM DEPICTED. LET THE AUDIENCE USE THEIR IMAGINATIONS.

This COULD be Renfield’s cell or Dr Seward’s Office. Or a part of Dracula’s castle.

The REALISTIC details are called SET DRESSING. One or two carefully chosen details can make it FEEL like you are seeing a much more elaborate set.

SET DRESSING can be wall coverings (wall paper, paint), wall hangings (pictures, selves books), objects (desks, bed, seats, hat stand)

GAUZES

Gauze is an inexpensive way of achieving ‘special effects’. It does need a basic knowledge of lighting (placement of lights) and other terms like “up stage/ down stage of the gauze, appearance, disappearance, reveal.”

Watch the clip below for an explanation.

Can you think of where it could have application in ‘Dracula’?

REVOLVE (Revolving Stage)

A circular stage (different diameters available) Small could be 4-5 meters across – large might be the whole stage. *Avoid making it too large as these are SUPER EXPENSIVE.

Your solutions should be within the budget of 100s not 1000s of pounds.

“The revolve was created to address one of the fundamental tensions in theatre: the effect on the audience’s patience and suspension of disbelief of long gaps between scenes while stagehands wrestle furniture and props into place in the dark.” [The Guardian newspaper]

The revolve can be centre stage or off centre.

It can have 2 different sides to it of 1 that is turned away when that scene is not the focus.

WHERE IN DRACULA could a revolve help with the scene changes? 

• Establish the scene, establish the idea and devices quickly.
• Explain How it works.
• Justify your ideas.
• Use quotes to justify your ideas.

Below is a still from a Vamos Mask play set in a hospital.

Beneath it is a paragraph that follows a WHAT -HOW – WHY structure to answer a set design question.

EXAMPLE

For Bedlam (Scene 2) I will design a set that has 3 zones. (Seward’s Office, the Corridors and Renfield’s Cell). These will be created with medical screens on castors (wheels)

[Quick sketch]

When Scene 2 starts, I want to create the atmosphere of a busy hospital. The ‘grim Nurses’ will enter from all directions pulling and pushing these screens. They will move them around to create corridors and a sense of business. Sometimes they will part the screens to reveal Dr Goldman “in and out of sight” “writing in her notebook”. At other times they will come together to make the 3 walls of Renfield’s cell where is ‘gabbling maniacally.’

The screens will be white but stained, showing that this is a neglected hospital. These screens will be easy to bring on and take off, and have a whole range of different configurations in the Bedlam scenes to come.  Because they are white they can be projected against (e.g: the bars of a window from a Gobo) or become shadow screens for images (eg: the silhouette of Dracula when Renfield is saying,“My Master is coming…”)

[5 Marks]

WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE THIS?