Concept Development
I also wanted to show the idea of ‘the crushed’ in the set design. This was achieved with the idea of having the main stage area suspended above a miniature housing estate depicting the metaphor of the Blavatsky apartment being aloof from society below. The idea of ‘light at the end of the tunnel‘ was also an important statement, shown with a forced perspective element in the set.
Roland Costume Drawings
I designed three different versions of Rolands costume as the script dictates a costume change at two different points. Based on the fact that he is unaware of cultural norms, Rolands costumes all have some or all of; a corduroy jacket covering a shirt, with a red top underneath - red references the constant mention of hell related entities. He also wears corduroy trousers. He changes his look depending on various factors and conversations throughout the play.
Ingrid Costume Drawings
Ingrids costume, like Roland’s, is designed in three different versions. The first, a flamenco inspired dress reflects her non-conformative and curious character. The second is a dischevelled and soaking wet version of the first costume. Ingrids third costume is a brighter more hopeful and happy dress for when she ultimately leaves with The Doctor.
Set Design Concept
The set design comprises doors into each of the occupants rooms, a stairway exit / entrance, and a forced perspective corridor at the back of the set that leads to the rooftop garden. With awkwardly angled walls based on daniel liebskind’s Jewish museum, there are iluminated gabs between panels to allow lighting mood changes.
Blavatsky’s Tower, written by Moira Buffini, follows the events that unfold on the twenty-fifth floor of a tower block designed by the father Hector Blavatsky. Fearful of being tainted by the ‘the crushed’ society living below, the Blavatskys are in full retreat from the world. But Mr Blavatsky is dying, and when a doctor arrives in their miniature universe the family must consider the risks of being tainted by the ‘crushed’ entering their ecosystem.
Blavatsky’s Bedroom
One particular scene recuired the set to depict blavatskys bedroom. This required an adroit and practical solution whilst maintaining the aesthetic of the apartment for the rest of the play.
The solution was to have blavatskys bed and wardrobe emerge from panels in the wall. This is shown in the adjacent photos of the model with the highlighted wall panels.
Initial Design Concept
After having read the script, i felt there were similarities between the awkwardness of Daniel Liebskind’s Jewish Museum and the intricacies of the Blavatsky family.
Blavatsky’s Tower.
(Hypothetical) Set and Costume Design
Mr Blavatsky Costume Drawings
Mr Blavatsky’s costume was designed to reflect his aloof character whilst playing on, and emphasising, the cliché of an architect’s typical dress; Blavatsky wears an all black suit with black shoes as well as having a black beard and black hair.
Audrey Costume Drawings
I designed Audrey’s costume to be mismatched and slightly ill-fitting to reflect her separation from every day society. However, she wears a dress with an apron-esque element indicating that she works as indicated in the script. Her costume is designed to look as if her clothes were for someone younger than herself, suggesting that she might be attached to a dress sense learnt at a younger age.
The Doctor Costume Drawings
Along side the typical doctor base costume, he also has red socks and tie referring to the hell references in the script. The Doctors coat also has cartoon-like markings playing on his suggested etherial otherworldly character. The second costume gets rid of the red tie and is replaced with a blue bowtie progressing the costume in the direction of a connection with the blue of Ingrids costume and inturn Ingrid herself. The third drawing shows his costume changed colour using a hydrochromic material. climaxing the Doctors connection with Ingrid when they ultimately leave together.
Final Model
The final model dispays all of the afforementoned elements in their final guise with additional elements such as a radiator, hanging television and concrete detail around the stairwell
