Lighting Designer
ELECTRA
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire - The Crescent Theatre RBS
📷Kirk Patrick Photography
Director: Jonathan Woolf | Scenic Design: Emma Thompson | Sound Design: Danny Warboys
Head of Costume: Michelle Shaw | Head of Props: Dan Raven
Production Manager: Jacqui Findlay | Production Technician: Dil Patel​
Intense
Electra is a deeply intense story exploring deeply emotional themes throughout.
This was the primary, if only driving concept behind my design, creating a design that reflects the dramatic and powerful states of sadness, aggression, grief, pain and at times elation.
Practical Challange
Designing the rig for this production posed some challenges. This production, being in 'Thrust', combined with the tight performance space and low-hanging square LED structure; ensuring that light sources could hit their target without blinding audience members, and that being at the suitable angle was a challenge.
Drop-down bars/extension from the overhead rig were not possible, and the overhead bars are non-moving. I overcame this by modifying the technical gallery and utilising load-bearing handrails as fixture positions.
Futuristic Tribal
Two concepts came up throughout the rehearsal and production meeting process.
A tribal yet futuristic feel.
A mad-max/Dune-inspired concept.
Dusty, dirty, filthy lighting design as is with the set.
To enhance this further, a large, square structure was present throughout, looming over whatever happened. This square was in stark contrast to the conventionally tribal floor.
The square is the only clean and perfectly sharp thing about the show, as well as being 'digital' and 'electronic'.
The square was custom-built with two controllable sections of RGBW leds which changed in intensity throughout. This was subtle, but just before the final murder, a dynamic and dramatic musical piece was used, and the square became 'electric' and 'stroboscopic' in its effect during this moment, creating a more striking performance.
Shadows
Using shadows as part of the creative design was a key part of my concept.
Heavy down-light, especially cold soft beams cutting from the centre of the square and down into the centre of the performance space.
Dark circles under eyes, wrinkles made more intense, and the costumes' shape and fee flowing elements casting shapes.
A screaming lonely mess
All in all, the primary inspiration for the design was the experience and emotional sensations of the lead character, Electra herself.
Isolated.
Intence.
Dramatic.
Desperate.
Painful.
Something I am proud to say, I feel I succeeded in doing.
