PRODUCTION The Tempest [Baofengyu]
Data Type：production background
Author：Jeričević, Dinka
Title：Stage Designer's Notes [Wutai sheji fenxiang]
Source：The Tempest Performance Program
Place：Taipei
Publisher：Song Song Song Children's & Puppet Theatre [Jiuge ertong jutuan]
Date：2012/4/20
Language：English
Abstract：The set design is inspired by the seemingly mysterious Taiwan. The "seeds" are accordingly created while Ariel is presented something like a fire-bird.
I am working with Ivica for many years. We did together over 30 plays for children, young people and few for adults. Few years ago we were working on The Tempest in one small theatre in Croatia. The stage was parted horizontally three spaces. Underneath world of Caliban, space of island for actors and upper world for Ariel.
When he told me that he is doing The Tempest again and ask me to join him in Taiwan I was thrilled. We start to think about The Tempest in completely new context. I have never been so far east, I knew very little about culture and theatre. I said to myself that I am not going to try to imitate your theatre or to do something that I think you will like.
My idea comes out of mystery that your country means to me. I saw that big seeds floating on the sea with lost people on them. They landed on island where Prospero already rules. And then the seeds bloom and we have the forest. I imagined this balls on small platforms on wheels and hollow so the actors can sit inside, hide or push them around just by pulling their legs out. Just playing with different positions of balls we thought of changing places of play.
Ariel was a special task. I wanted him on high circus bicycle, full of long feathers something like a fire-bird. If not bicycle then a tall platform that is somebody hidden or not pushing from underneath. I am counting a lot on help with light. Projections of sea, clouds, nice and stormy.
When he told me that he is doing The Tempest again and ask me to join him in Taiwan I was thrilled. We start to think about The Tempest in completely new context. I have never been so far east, I knew very little about culture and theatre. I said to myself that I am not going to try to imitate your theatre or to do something that I think you will like.
My idea comes out of mystery that your country means to me. I saw that big seeds floating on the sea with lost people on them. They landed on island where Prospero already rules. And then the seeds bloom and we have the forest. I imagined this balls on small platforms on wheels and hollow so the actors can sit inside, hide or push them around just by pulling their legs out. Just playing with different positions of balls we thought of changing places of play.
Ariel was a special task. I wanted him on high circus bicycle, full of long feathers something like a fire-bird. If not bicycle then a tall platform that is somebody hidden or not pushing from underneath. I am counting a lot on help with light. Projections of sea, clouds, nice and stormy.
