3. 3
80 Minutes, No Interval
was a Hayman Theatre major production performed in September of 2015. As a
third year student who was enamoured throughout his degree by all the
unique aspects that go into creating a show, I have a particular love for
creating the world with which the actors perform in. This interest has been
nurtured through assistant design positions throughout my degree, but in
third year I was given the option of being the designer of 80 Minutes, No
Interval. This was an excellent opportunity to for me to bring to the table
what I had learnt at Curtin University over the last two and a half years
The Script is a technical script, there is no question about that. The play
is incredibly self-referential to not only the nature of theatre, it’s
classical and modern day interpretations and audience expectations, but
also places a heavy focus on the technicalities of the play.
For example there are multiple scenes in different locations, a massive
cast, and stage directions that at first seem impossible to do. This was an
excellent opportunity for a major to have a large tech team that was fully
utilised, and provided us with the creative challenge that would broaden
our potential as theatre makers.
Before we begin, I would like to give special thanks to Assistant Designer
George Ashforth, for his invaluable aid in helping create the set for 80
Minutes. Without his help, this project would have been doubled in
difficulty.
4. 4
Technicalities of 80 Minutes
The play required multiple scene changes that transition to different
locations. As well as the scene changes, we needed to create as many
technical elements from the character Clair’s monologue (pg 40 of the
script, 41:50 seconds of the recording) as possible. This was necessary so
that she could literally refer to the technicalities in the play. The major
concern was the prison scene, were the main character Louis spends 20 plus
years in prison for (spoiler alert!) murdering a certain publisher in the
play. Why this scene was difficult was because in the script, it states
that the “walls move in slowly towards Louis”.
There were also a number of other elements required in the play that I had
little to no involvement in, but feel the need to briefly list as they
complement the set and the play. These Elements were:
Audio Visual projections that would move across the set when a scene
changed, to strongly place the next scene in the audiences mind. A
number of Special Effects were used in the show as well, such as an
8metre petal drop on the stage, as well as three other paper drops,
used in the final scene. Also part of SFX was the use of two gruesome
prosthetics. One was created for the (spoiler alert!) publisher, which
is an eye ball made to resemble one that has been ripped out of its
socket by a pen, and the other was used in the last scene, which is
(spoiler alert…) a pane of Perspex cut to resemble a broken pane of
glass that is made to look like it has pierced the chest of a certain
florist in the show.
5. 5
Solving These Issues.
This list of Technical challenges both solved and inspired my design, which
was born out of my initial ideas for accommodating these considerations in
the set. It most definitely evolved further to resemble its final product
because of the consistent dialogue between myself, Karen Kook (Production
manager and Lighting Designer) and Phil Miolin (Director).
I thought of a three metre revolve to solve the issues of the scene
transitions and changes, and then a number of two point eight metre high
scrims to create a backstage area for the other actors to operate the
revolve and dress the next scene behind the action that would be happening
up stage. The reason for the use of the Scrim, as opposed to flats, is
because it allowed us the opportunity to experiment with stylistic
silhouettes (another theatrical device) as well as give colour a strong
voice in this show. The biggest reason, however, was the fact that the
scrim was hinged, meaning that it could be manipulated, moved backwards as
well as forwards. This was particularly important for the prison scene,
were, as I stated before, the walls needed to move inwards (to represent
the passage of time, as well as a diminishing of hope in Louis). These
choices were not stage directions in the script, but rather my own sense of
aesthetics. In my personal opinion it is essential that the designer bring
something unique to the table in terms of dressing a show.
6. 6
My final design consisted of seven scrims that lined the stage roughly two
metres from the down stage wall (aside from the three central panels,
located in the middle of the Revolve and therefore existing at one and a
half metres from the downstage wall). On the pages that follow, I will go
through the separate components that make up the entire set, starting from
the finalised product and breaking it down into Its separate components.
7. 7
The Finished
Product
As you can see, this
is the finalised
design and the
actualised set. The
only difference
between the two is
that the rostrum
that hugs the
Revolve in front is
not as big as the
initial design. It
was reduced by half
a metre to allow for
more playing space
on the actual stage.
Otherwise, the
finished product
turned out almost
exactly how I drew
it.
8. 8
The
Mutability of
the set:
These are the three distinct set changes that occur in the play. They range in
chronological order, from left to right. The first image is the first scene of the
play, where Louis proposes in a restaurant. The second is the end of the Prison Scene,
where the walls are have moved in to encase Louis on the small stage,and the third is
the flower shop scene, the final scene of the show and my favourite.
9. 9
THE SCREENS:
THE SCREENS/SCRIM OF IN THE SET WERE ALL (EXCEPT THE CENTRAL SCREENS,
WHICH WERE 2.5M TALL)2.8M TALL, LEAVING A 2FT GAP BETWEEN THE CEILING
AND THE TOP OF ECH SCREEN. THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT IS MY INITIAL
DESIGN, WHICH WAS TO CREATE MORE OF A BOX SHAPED SCREEN ON WHEELS,
FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE EASIER TO MOVE. MIOLIN REJECTED THIS
IDEA, AND I ACCOMADATED HIM, CREATING A SIMPLER, LESS COPLICATED
SCREEN (SEEN IN THE DESIGN ON THE RIGHT). KAREN COOK SUGGESTED THE
SCREEN BE MADE OF TWO FRAMES OF THE SAME SIZE, SO THAT FABRIC COULD
BE STRECTCHED BETWEEN THEM, WITHOUT SHOWING THE MESSINESS OF STAPLES.
10. 10
FABRIC:
WE EXPERIMENTED WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FABRICS (USED TO
CONSTRUCT A SCRIM), AND THE FABRIC THAT WAS MOST SUITABLE ENDED
UP BEING THE CHEAPEST ONE AVAILABLE AT SPOTLIGHT, WHICH WAS VERY
LUCKY. THE FABRIC IS CALLED COTTON POPLIN.
12. 12
FRAMES:
THE FRAMES WERE MADE OUT
OF YELLOW PINE FROM
BUNNINGS. EACH FRAME
CONSISTED OF TWO SEPARATE
FRAMES THAT WOULD BE
SCREWED TOGETHER.
THE OUTER FRAMES WHERE
HINGED TO THE FRAMES THAT
DIRECTLY RAN ALONSIDE THE
REVOLVE, WITH A COMMON
HINGE (AS SEEN IN THE
PICTURE). THIS HINGE ONLY
MOVES IN ONE DIRECTION.
THE BIGGER FRAMES WERE
EACH HINGED TO A CENTRAL
SUPPORT COLUMN THAT RAN
PERPENDICULAR FROM THE
EDGE OF THE REVOLVE.
THESE HINGES WERE DOUBLE
SIDED, AND COULD SWING
BOTH WAYS, ALLOWING US TO
EFFECTIVELY “OPEN” THE
STAGE FOR THE END SCENE
BY FOLDING AND
COMPRESSING THE SCREENS
INWARDS, UP STAGE (REFER
TO IMAGE ON PG 2).
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FABRIC BEING INSTALLED AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL SUPPORT COLOMN USED.
THE FABIC WAS STRETCHED THEN STAPLED ACROSS THE FRAMES BEFORETHEY WERE PUT
TOGETHER. THE SUPPORT COLUMNS USED WERE FOUND IN THE WORKSHOP AND WERE ABLE TO
BE RECYCLED (REFER TO IMAGE ON THE RIGHT)
15. 15
HERE IS A COLLECTION OF 9 IMAGES, SEQUENCING THE SCREENS MUTABILITY. THE SHOTS TAKEN ARE FROM THE END OF ACT
ONE (WERE –SPOILER ALERT AGAIN- A CERTAIN PUBLISHER IS ACCIDENTALLY MURDERED) INTO THE END OF ACT TWO
(WERE LOUIS GOES TO A PRISON)
17. 17
THE FINAL POSITION IS WITH LOUISE ENCLOSED WITHIN A NEW ROOM CREATED BY THE
SCRIM/SCREENS.
THIS IS THE END SCENE,
WERE THE SCREENS ARE
COMPLETELY FLIPPED BACK TO
REVEAL THE ENTIRETY OF THE
STAGE.
18. 18
THE REVOLVE:
BUILT BY IAN STEWART, THE REVOLVE WAS DESIGNED TO BE
3METRES IN DIAMETRE. IT IS A SIMPLE DEVICE, MADE
FROM CHIP BOARD, AND SITS 30CM FROM THE GROUND. THIS
IS THE REASON WHY THE THREE CENTRAL SCREENS THAT RUN
DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE REVOLVE (EFFECTIVELY HALVING
IT) ARE 2.5METRES TALL, SO THAT ALL THE SCREENS
COFORTABLY REST AT 2.8 METRES.
19. 19
THE REVOLVE WAS COVERED IN A MATERIAL CALLED
LAMINAE, WHICH IS A TYPE OF MOCK FLOOR
BOARDING USED IN BUDGET HOME RENOVATIONS. THE
DECISION FOR USING FLOOR BOARDS RATHER THAN
PAINTING THE REVOLVE IS BECAUSE IT CAME TO
AROUND ABOUT THE SAME PRICE AND IT WAS LESS
EFFORT TO PUT TOGETHER, FOR A BETTER FINISHED
PRODUCT THAT ALSO MATCHED THE AESTHETIC OF
THE PINE FRAMES, WHICH WERE UN PAINTED.
21. 21
THE APRON/ THE REVOLVE ROSTRUM:
THE REVOLVE NEEDED A ROSTRUM THAT IT CONNECTED TO, TO HELP CONCEAL HOW IT WAS USED
BUT MAINLY TO PROVIDE MORE PLAYING SPACE FOR THE ACTORS ON THE REVOLVE. THE
ROSTRUM EXTENEDED 1METER OUT FROM THE REVOLVE.
23. 23
PAINTING:
I CHOSE PALE COLOURS FOR THE WALLS AND FLOOR OF THE THEATRE, TO COMPLIMENT THE
AESTHETIC OF THE VARNISHED PINE FRAMES AND THE WHITE SCREENS/SCRIMS. I CHOSE
ARCTIC GREY, A TYPE OF OFF-WHITE TO PAINT THE THEATRE WITH, BUT PHIL MIOLIN
SUGGESTED A DARKER SHADE BE ADDED TO BREAK UP THE STARNESS OF THE PALE GREY
USED. WE CHOSE “CHATEU STONE”, WHICH IS A SHADE DARKER THAN ARCTIC GREY, AND
THIS COMPLIMENTED PERFECTLY.
THE FLOOR I DIDN’T WANT TO PAINT JUST WHITE. I HAD BEEN AN ASSITANT DESIGNER ON
RUBEN GUTHRY IN 2014, AND HAD LEARNT FROM DESIGNER LAUREN ROSS HOW TO TEXTURE A
FLOOR TO LOOK LIKE CONCRETE.
IT’S A SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE TECHNEQUE:
1. PUT YOUR BASE COAT DOWN. IT SHOULD BE A SHADE LIGHTER THAN THECONCRETE FINISH THAT YOU
WANT.
2. GRAB AN OLD MOP AND BUCKET, AND PUT AN APPRORIATE AMOUNT OF WATER IN. I FOUND THAT I
DIDN’T NEED A LOT, ABOUT HALF A BUCKET FOR THE WHOLE STAGE.
3. MIX INTO THE WATER COLOUR FROM THE BASE COAT, AND THEN ADD A TOUCH (JUST A SMIGGEN) OF
BLACK PAINT IF YOU WANT A DARK GREY CONCRETE EFFECT. I WANTED A PALE CONCRETE TEXTURE,
SO AFTER TRIALING DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF BLACK PAINT IN THE MIX, I SETTLED ON JUST USING
ARCTIC GREY IN THE WATER SOLUTION. THE EFFECT STILL CAME OUT BUT DIDN’T DOMINATE THE
SPACE, WHICH IS WHAT I WANTED.
4. APPLY LIBERALLY ONCE TRIALING HAS BEEN DONE. MAKE IT LOOK MESSY, OCCAISONALLY SPONGE THE
MOP HEAD INTO THE GROUND INSTEAD OF JUST MOPPING IT ON.
5. WARNING: DO NOT PRESS ON THE MOP TOO HARD, AS IT CAN SCRATCH THE FLOOR, REVEALING THE
BLACK OF THE THEATRE FLOOR.
6. ALWAYS TEST AND USE YOUR OWN JUDGEMENT.
25. 25
The textured floor can be seen in this picture, as well as the colours of the wall.
26. 26
FLOWER
ARRANGEMENTS
FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS
WERE A BIG PART OF
THE SET, AS THE
FINAL SCENE IS IN A
FLORSIT’S SHOP. WE
BOUGHT A RIDICULOUS
AMOUNT OF FAKE
FLOWERS FOR THIS
SCENE, AND HAD A
NUMBER OF FUN
WORKSHOPS ARRANGING
THEM INTO FLORAL
ARRANGEMENTS.
I CHOSE BRIGHT
COLOURS SO THAT THEY
WOULD POP OUT FROM
THE PALENESS OF THE
SET.
27. 27
ASHFORTH AND I
REPURPOSED A
DISUSED ADHOC CART
THAT WAS IN THE
THEATRE TO MAKE A
FLOWER CART FOR
THE FLORISTS
SCENE, AT THE END
OF THE PLAY.
28. 28
ANOTHER FINAL TOUCH TO THE SHOW, WAS THAT THERE WHERE
TWO BUCKETS WHICH DECENDED DOWN FROM THE CEILING IN
THE FINAL SCENE. THESE BUCKETS CONTAINED FLOWERS IN
THEM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THEY UTILISED THE MUCH
NEGLECTED CEILING OF THE HAYMAN, METAPHORICALLY
“WIDENING” THE USEABILITY OF THE THEATRE THE IMAGES
ARE THE CLEETS AND HOOKS USED TO THREAD THE HOLDING
ROPE THROUGH.
29. 29
80 minutes was a challenging, rewarding piece of work. I
discovered many things about myself, that had been growing since
first year, and utilised skills that I had obtained doing other
volunteer positions outside of Curtin University (such as
painting, which I learnt from interning at galleries). I am very
satisfied with my design, but also aware of my weak points.
These points are just small things that I need to put more time
into learning if I want to be a professional designer.
For example, I never made a model box. Even though I intended too,
it just passed me by in the production. Don’t let this happen.
Make a model box. This is the most crucial tool used to describe
to the other members of the production what the set looks like in
your mind. Because it’s a 3d form, the director and other tech
members can manipulate it. This would have saved a lot of
confusion, and I must give thanks to my director for trusting what
I said and drew, and my word that the design would work.
Another point of weakness is my construction skills, which can
accurately be described as being a beginner level. This did not
hinder the process, because I had good support from two
experienced builders, but it made it difficult for me to create
items on my own. What was good about working on this show, was
30. 30
that my construction skills certainly improved from working with
two experience technicians.
My real strength was commitment, and my sense of aesthetics. I had
faith in my design (even though sometimes I didn’t trust my
measurements), and I knew that we just needed to keep moving
forward with constructing it. The experience I have gathered from
the Hayman Theatre and the fine art units I dabbled in over the
last three years has been invaluable, and informed my
professionally minded approach to working on any production. I
have faith in my future as a designer, and I think that if I
tighten up the skill sets that are lacking, then I will be ready
to pursue it as a career.
That sums up the production guide to 80 Minutes, No Interval. I
hope that you benefitted from the read, and if you didn’t manage
to catch the show do not fear, the internet is here. A recording
of the show is available on youtube at this link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJAwW5DSDEI&feature=youtu.be
