The Unseen Artisans of London's Theatre Scene
As the 50th Olivier awards approach, the spotlight turns to the unsung heroes behind London's most breathtaking stage productions. From a colossal mirrored chandelier to a hidden disco floor, an army of technical wizards ensures that theatrical magic comes to life with precision and flair. This year, productions like Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Romeo & Juliet, and John Proctor Is the Villain showcase the innovative craftsmanship that makes London's stages unforgettable.
Engineering a Spectacle: The Chandelier of Les Liaisons Dangereuses
In Marianne Elliott's production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the National Theatre, a mirrored chandelier, dubbed the "death star," dangles ominously over the stage. Measuring nearly five metres wide, it occupies more than a third of the Lyttelton stage's width. This intricate piece holds 144 electric candles, each meticulously coated in melted wax for authenticity, and required the collaboration of around 40 skilled craftspeople.
Janet Williamson, the senior construction draughtsperson, faced a significant challenge when designer Rosanna Vize presented the initial model. "It was clearly going to be a considerable technical challenge," she recalls. Drawing inspiration from a Terry's Chocolate Orange and Florence's Duomo, Williamson designed the chandelier in segments that lock together for structural integrity. "Everything we create is a prototype that has never been done before," she says, highlighting the novelty and anxiety of such projects.
Multipurpose Design: The Bed in Romeo & Juliet
At the Harold Pinter theatre, designer Hildegard Bechtler's set for Romeo & Juliet revolves around a single, multifunctional bed. Created under tight deadlines after a contract signed in November, the bed serves as Juliet's sleeping quarters, a marble-like tomb, and a focal point for fight scenes. Initially planned to disappear beneath the stage, budget constraints led to a solution where it glides up and down using a concealed winch.
Bechtler emphasizes the bed's role in adding light and shade to Shakespeare's tragedy: "We didn't want to make our Romeo & Juliet all darkness. I think the power of sexual attraction is all bound up in the bed." Stripped of excessive details like lace or candles, the bed becomes an abstract stage within a stage, enhancing the play's dreamlike quality.
Hidden Revelations: The Disco Floor in John Proctor Is the Villain
At the Royal Court theatre, scenographers Christine Jones and Brett J Banakis crafted a concealed disco floor for Kimberly Belflower's play, John Proctor Is the Villain. Inspired by a line in Lorde's song "Green Light" – "Did it frighten you when we danced on the light-up floor?" – the floor remains hidden under vinyl stickers that mimic old linoleum until the final 90 seconds, when it blazes to life.
Banakis explains the technical finesse: "We developed this vinyl sticker that goes over the stage and the LED tiles below. It's a true deus ex machina." Jones adds that this design choice reflects the internal ferocity of the characters: "Rather than the environment around them changing, it felt more true to the spirit of the play to have the ferocity of what is happening inside these girls change the world around them."
Atmospheric Craft: The Mansion in The Authenticator
Backstage at the National Theatre, scenic art supervisor Cass Kirchner oversees the creation of a dilapidated mansion for Winsome Pinnock's The Authenticator. Designed by Jon Bausor, the 9.9-metre-wide structure features crumbling brick walls, aged wooden beams, and hidden traps, all crafted to evoke a ghostly atmosphere. Kirchner notes the importance of storytelling in their work: "You're trying to create an atmosphere and bring the past to life."
Apprentices Lily Cleaver and Jade Boycott spent weeks ageing wooden beams, a process of trial and error to balance decay with vitality. "We made them too dead at first," Cleaver admits, highlighting the meticulous attention to detail required in theatrical set design.
These behind-the-scenes efforts underscore the artistry and engineering that make London's theatre productions not only believable but spectacular, as the industry celebrates half a century of Olivier awards.
