On Shining Wings Model

So I must admit, I've been reminiscing a little recently about uni life in Nottingham. I really did have such fun, and find myself thinking, 'this time last year I was...'. Last night I found myself looking back on the Christmas play that I designed for Oldham Theatre Workshop (@OTWOldham) last year, for which my planning started a year ago exactly! I never did manage to get some pictures of the model I made for the show up on here, so... here we go! It's not the best angle, so for that, I apologise. However, I remember being really impressed that the space looked so much like the model that I made! 

(I know that it should, it was just my first major realisation of this fact) It dawned on me that it really is possible to conjure up something in your head, work it through in scale form, and then make it in real life.

Ah well, enough ramblings from me on the joy of tiny things!

Peacocks

So, I have been a little quiet on the blog posting front, but this time, because I've been busy on designing a new play 'Peacocks' by Shazia Ashraf. 

'Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Othello but set in modern-day Bradford using historical figures from the time of Mughal India, Peacocks follows Khurram’s struggle from reluctant Prince to proud Emperor.  Peacocks explores ideas of social acceptance and how we can succumb to presumptions about gender, race and status.'

It was a really quick project to be involved with - hence the very wobbly model, as shown beneath. Rehearsals started 3 weeks before the performance, and I started work a day into these rehearsals. Efficiency was definitely key on this project! Alongside my assistant, also called Hannah, we had to devise a way to try and evoke the different worlds that the story sat within.

In the end, we conjured the essence of sumptuous royalty by giving my garden gazebo a bit of a makeover...

A Peacock throne also needed to be made, in a very art attack style. Lots of paper mache and glitter was involved.

The peacock throne in its position on stage

And before glittering, in our makeshift workshop.

Another prop make needed to be the Peacock Pound. This was quite a bit of fun to make, and really helped set us in this new, abstract world, where characters from Mughal India sit in modern day Bradford.

 And here's a few of production shots from the performance.

I also stage managed this show, with lots of help from Hannah, my assistant, and run the sound for the show too. All in all, a very busy, but good fun 3 weeks was had by all!

@PeacocksThePlay