AHDS Collections

Designing Shakespeare Collection - Audio Interview Clip

- Simple Staging

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Designing Shakespeare Collection - Simple Staging
Filename	:	DS_NO_au18.mov
Date of Interview	:	16 December 2002
Date digital resource created	:	06 June 2003
Creator1	:	Nick Ormerod
Creator2	:	Christie Carson
Creator role1	:	Theatre Designer - Interviewee
Creator role2	:	Principle Investigator - Interviewer
Description	:	Question: That is something that is certainly mentioned about you, is that, well I don't know if emblematic or minimalist is another word that has been used I think, in terms of your work. Is that what you are trying to do, are you trying to boil things down to an essence? Answer: Well that's partly again, pragmatic as I say because we've always approached theatre from a touring point of view so essentially things have to be lightweight, but I think there is a more pressing artistic requirement and I think that is essential to all. I've been thinking a lot about this recently and I think good design is rooted in need. And that's true of a building, I mean it's true of architecture. You don't build a building with too many columns, you build it with the right number of columns. So that when you look at it you feel as if it stands, and the columns aren't too big or too fat, they're just right according to need. And that's true of the set of a play. I mean, you find an element and it fulfils a need. It may be a need in you as it were, or it may be a need in the piece as realised on stage, with the actors normally. But it is rooted in need and part of the process is discovering what the need is and refining things down to that simple element - probably simple. It's probably simple because I find the most exciting image on stage is actually an actor walking onto a bare stage. I find just that image immensely exciting. But that is just my taste.
Source	:	DS_16_12_02 (2xmini DV tape)
Format	:	Quicktime Progressive (audio)
Type	:	Resource Audio
Rights	:	This clip may be used for educational purposes only, any commercial use of this material requires permission from the copyright holders. Misuse or misrepresentation may result in legal action. Copyright holder: Christie Carson, COMPH, Royal Holloway University of London.
Length	:	1 minute 18.27 seconds