I come across all this stuff, pictures mainly and sometimes articles, that floats in and out of my focus when I am working on a new project. I’m sharing some of this (and a few unsolicited thoughts) in the hope it is useful to you in some of your design work.
Although I’m not really sure that rugs would work for our production, I do like this image. In this company’s production of Uncle Vanya, the rugs became something more than carpet when arranged in this particular way. Seeing the characters supported by the color and tapestry as they told this story of family in rural Russia must have been stunning. The idea is certainly exciting to me.
As I said, The Government Inspector is probably not a play that will beg for rugs.
But... I think it’d be great if we could try to conceptualize in the the same way the folks above did. Their solution was simple, evocative, and versatile.
It’s early on, but I’m thinking color might be fun to play with. In many other photos from other productions that I have seen online, I see sets with huge brown walls and gray decking and I wonder if they were reading the same play I am reading. The Government Inspector has a sense of fun. It’s supposed to be FUN! The set has to accommodate a bunch of different locations for various scenes, and there are several specific pieces (standing mirror, bed, table of food, trick door/wardrobe/jack-in-the-box, etc.) but outside those things, I think we can keep it very bare bones.
I see the play as something between a fairytale and a parable. Costumes can help the audience take that step with us. I understand that we won't be building individual pieces, so I hope this helps you when you start looking for garments for the actors to try:
Aside from a crazy pink party gown the Mayor’s wife wears, the costumes could be either elaborate or pretty simple---depending on what we find that fits. Most of the characters have a specific vocation (Doctor, Hospital Administrator, Mayor, Judge, Teacher, Maid) and I think that it serves the play to exploit these iconic images. For example, in beginning our discussions we might start with “stethoscope for doctor,” “ apron for maid,” “gavel for judge” and then flesh out the look of the character from there. What does this character do? What do they say in the play? The base costume for the men might be as straightforward as a button down shirt and navy/brown/gray/black trousers.
Colorful additions, such as suspenders, brocade vests, jewelry, glasses/monocles, and over-the-top hairstyles/facial hair might be a lot of fun and relatively cost efficient.
I think it's going to be a lot of fun to light some of the crowd scenes, especially the drunken binge and the lovely Eugene Onegin scene, between Hletstakov, Anna, and Marya that follows. Sound design and lights will be quite fun. I have some sound cues on a disk that I'll share with y'all at the first design meeting--- cool zylophone, harp, and drum ditties that might fit nicely as cues or underscoring.
In case you can't tell, I am terribly excited to be working on this project with all of you. I look forward to meeting you soon! Auditions in under a week!
