The scene and the unseen
NISSAR ALLANA
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A visit to The Prague Quadrennial 2007 not only revealed the best in the world of stage design but also highlighted the importance of a holistic infrastructure to support theatre.
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While corporate funding, etc., is now huge in India, its distribution is diluted, combined with a lack of awareness and organised planning.
And at the bottom of it, where is the vision?
Exquisite The Prague Quadrennial hosted a series of talks by theatre experts who have expanded the perspective of the trends in the last four years.
The Prague Quadrennial (PQ) takes place once in four years in the heart of the Czech Republic, in what is unquestionably one of the most beautiful cities of the world – Prague.
Every four years, it is a pilgrimage for stage designers, who gravitate in large numbers to this prestigious event, to see the great visual masters of theatre, listen to their words, see their works. These are the stars of a world that transports audiences from reality into the illusionary world of theatre with the magic of their designs and lighting. The venue is the famous Industrial Palace, exquisite in its architecture, the home of international trade fairs.
Few in India, even from the theatre circles, have heard of the PQ, which celebrated the 11th edition this year – completing 40 years. Until 2003, India had never participated in this great event. I was honoured to be invited to present my work at the PQ in 2003, and the PQ directorate made a special mention about India’s participation then.
This month, on June 14, was the inauguration of the PQ-07. The presence of the legendary Ming Cho Lee and Ralph Koltai was a high moment, as these are the greats who created new directions in design, charting a new pathway for contemporary world theatre.
Traditionally, the PQ focuses on leading designers, who present their work in the form of photos, models, drawing and conceptual sketches, conceived or executed during the previous four years. Thus, every quadrennial represents their latest work. The exhibition is accompanied by talks by theatre experts, be it stage and costume designers, theatre critics, or directors, who have expanded the perspective of the trends in the preceding four years.
Ideas and technology
Audio visual programmes supplemented the lectures, and theatre companies specialising in technical expertise set up stalls to demonstrate the latest equipment in lighting and other technical aspects of theatre. Ideas and theatre technology were presented side by side, so that theatre students could also understand how the design and its technical implementation were connected.
Since the last two quadrennials, the works of students from schools of stage design across the world are presented, and no effort or money is spared in creating the student section, which is called . ‘The Student Scenofest’.
A third section usually has a changing theme at each PQ. In the large central room of the Industrial Palace, in which an architectural set was created in actual size, and demonstration of spontaneous work, for example, a fashion show of theatre costumes made up of waste material and created that very day, was presented later that evening. The impromptu talent of these artists was staggering.
For both the designers and the students, it is a showcase, and a hunting ground for producers and directors looking for new talent. For the theatre critic, it is a pointer to new ideas, providing an assessment of how Western, Asian and African countries translate words and ideas into visual representation.
The PQ awards are for the best designs by the professional designers and students. In PQ-07, UNESCO presented five awards worth 4000 U.S. dollars each for individual projects of students as well as for design schools. I was one of the five jury members for this award, and it was interesting to note that the awards went to Chile, Korea, Czech Republic, Serbia and Greece. Most of the awards for professional work also went to non-European countries.
The Scenofest stage is one of the many temporary performance spaces set up in the central section of the venue. It’s hard to believe, but the boundary walls enclosing the theatre space were entirely made up of packing boxes – an innovative, lightweight and soundproof structure, used for about 6 to 8 events each day.
These events included demonstrations of new techniques in lighting and mechanical systems, which make it possible to literally fly actors above the ground among other things. Other events all over Prague include spectacular parades. One such parade was a display of bird costumes, based on Aristophanes’ play, “The Birds”, as were over 40 other sets made for the same play, which was part of the UNESCO Award competition.
Designers, besides presenting models, photos and sketches, look for innovative means of showing their work. Life-size installations transform space into theatrical illusions and metaphorical statements. These installations use different kinds of material and innovative lighting to enhance space. For example, the Polish students’ installation consisted of many layers of transparent sheets housed in a darkened room; on each of which was etched an image of the human form.
When each sheet is lit separately from along its edge, only that particular image becomes visible. When different sheets are lit in sequence, using a chaser effect in quick succession, the different images are lit momentarily, giving a sense of movement in space. A dark mirror at the back multiplies the images manifold, transforming the space, and heightening its spatial dimension.
Scale models
Models of theatre sets also take on completely new dimensions. The models are created in black boxes in which the set is made to scale in all its detail, with miniature characters from the scene of a play, complete with costumes, so that a director can block or choreograph the entire play on the model, even before rehearsals begin. These models are amazingly lit with small lenses, barely half a cm wide, attached to fibre-optic cables. Other models use pulley systems and mechanical systems that move the set on the model, either up or down or from side to side. Three dimensional imaging on the computer screen and actors moving with the help of animation is yet another means of showing one’s work.
These advances in scenography are only possible for one reason!
Means of livelihood
The system of State theatre, theatres in universities/drama schools and those privately run, which constitute the infrastructure of theatre in different countries, not only provides facilities for this kind of work but provide a means of livelihood to an entire community of theatre students, amateur companies and professionals. It is a functioning system that creates the entire dynamics for the growth of theatre. How can we even think in these terms in India?
Definitely not because of lack of funding! While the Government, international agencies and corporate funding is now huge in India, its distribution is diluted, combined with a lack of awareness and organised planning. And of course, at the bottom of it, where is the vision?
(The author is a light and stage designer and co-founder of the theatre institute DADA.)
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