Things are coming together in
the designing of Icarus: A
Story of Flight.
The white card model has been made, and as the actors begin their rehearsals we
will be considering how the staging and set will interact. Icarus: A Story of Flight looks to be a dynamic and
powerful show with stunning visuals, and the abstract set we have designed must
achieve that, as well as the more practical capabilities needed for touring
(and the 5 minute get-in at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe).
My design has been inspired by
poetry about freedom and flight, and attempts to evoke the natural forms of
cirrus and cumulus clouds, coral, forest foliage and fire. I have also referred
to classical depictions of the original Icarus myth, and have included small
nods to these well-known works of art in my designs. My hope is that for those
who recognise them (consciously or not), these motifs will ring out as a
reminder of the heritage of Backhand’s fantastical invention.
Right now I am beginning work on
the costumes, which is exciting. Seeing your designs become real is one of the
most rewarding parts of being a theatre designer, but it won’t be without
stress and hard work as each garment gets assembled, embellished and fitted.
My workspace is now covered in a
mass of glitter, ribbon and thread, design doodles and reference images; with
each movement sequins go flying, casting tiny dots of reflected sunlight around
the room. The challenge with these costumes has been designing striking
silhouettes that won’t hinder the actors’ aerial routines, so each design
utilises innovative structural techniques and beautifully dynamic cloth.
Once the costumes have been
made, we will start on props and set construction, before the previews at South
Hill Park, and the madness of Edinburgh 2012 begins.
