ABBY CLARKE | performance designer
The Changing of the Guard/Directed by Iqbal Khan/ O'Reilly Theatre/January 15
The Changing of the Guard was a performance of a new play by Shomit Dutta that was created over the course of a five day acting workshop between Iqbal Khan and the student actors. This short rehearsal period called for a set that was flexible and easy to adjust as the requirements of the set changed rapidly over the rehearsal process. The design created the two distinct worlds of the play– the elegant, classical world of Helen of Troy and the more earthy world of the guards—through the use of rostra, enabling action to continue on both levels simultaneously. The central circular window framed Helen and Odysseus as they considered their escape whilst the cyc viewed through the window indicated the transition from dawn to dusk as the play progressed. Voile drapes framed the stage and were drawn across to veil or reveal the happenings in Helen’s quarters and to emphasise the divide between the royalty and the guards.
Director- Iqbal Khan
Designer- Abby Clarke
Lighting Designer- Alex Bucknell
Costume Designer- Christina Hill