2007 » United Kingdom » National section

Collaborators: UK Design for Performance 2003 - 2007

It is fortuitous that our deeply felt theme is manifest in the extraordinary cross cultural organisation of PQ and Scenofest. As with previous exhibitions, the intention of the Collaborators theme is to firstly create a journey through a wide range of work, with headings and questions that stimulate a dialogue with the work on display. Secondly the theme may provide handles with which designers can reflect upon and present key aspects of their work. In previous exhibitions we have taken SPACE as our theme – along with its partner TIME, followed by PROCESS in 2-D>3-D. Now we turn our attention to those we make performance WITH and FOR: Our COLLABORATORS. With this theme we aim to consider shared purpose, shared discovery and our delight in the ‘labour’ of making (for) performance, which typically involves collaboration with variously skilled artists, technicians, performers, audiences and spaces. UK designers and artists working in performance have been invited to write brief commentaries to accompany their work. Involving key collaborators in their presentations is welcomed and in some cases actively pursued. These national exhibitions in the UK are, themselves, major collaborations in both conception and organisation. They provide arare opportunity for designers and those they work with and for, to reflect – to each other, the ideas, issues and forms with which they are engaged. In this PQ exhibition we enjoy the particular opportunity to work with Ralph Koltai and his long–time scenic sculptor collaborator, Stephen Pyle, on a sculptural environment that makes performers of all who walk through it. Collaborators has also aimed to create an opportunity, in organising, designing and writing, for emerging designers to get involved with the SBTD and its ongoing programme of work acelebration of art, craft and design for performance!

Exhibiting artists / ateliers

• Sophie Jump

Specialization: director, set designer, costume designer, scenographer
Education: Central St Martins College of Art & Design, London.
Collaboration with theatres: Seven Sistes Group
Participation in other important exhibitions: Collaborators, Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
Additional information: Born in 1969 in Bristol. Scenographer. She studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. Currently co-operates with the company Seven Sisters Group. She participated in the PQ in 1991 (school section).

Exhibiting works

• Sophie Jump: Boxed (Boxed), 0
• Becs Andrews

Specialization: teacher, set designer, costume designer


Exhibiting works

• Patrick Marber: (Orestes 2.0), Guildhall Theatre, Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2003, Director: Daniel Kramer, , David Howe - Lighting Designer, Ann Yee - Choreographer, Nobby Clarke - Photographer ;
  Comments: A ruined homeland sinking in oil greets the veterans as they return from an unjust war abroad. Helen's oil-spill train contains the greed of capitalist culture.
• Anne Curry

Evesham
Specialization: set designer, costume designer
Additional information: Born in 1954 in Evesham. Freelance costume designer. She graduated from University of Central England & Slade School of Fine Arts, where she currently teaches.

Exhibiting works

• Fred Ebb, John Kander: (Cabaret), Birmingham Theatre School 2003, Director: John Paul Cherington, , Mandi Ashwood - Choreographer, Pete Hammond - Music / Sound Design
• Atlanta Duffy

Specialization: set designer, costume designer


Exhibiting works

• Wole Soyinka: (The Lion and the Jewel), (Collective Artistes, Young Vic and Bite:05), 2005, Director: Chuck Mike, , Juwon Ogungbe, , Catriona Silver - Lighting Designer, Koffi Koko - Choreographer, Nicola Fitchett - Costume Supervisor ;
  Comments: At the start of rehearsals we all agreed that we wanted the audience to feel they had been immersed in the atmosphere, character and heat of a Nigerian village.
  

  
  
  
• Ralph Koltai

* 1924, Hungary
Specialization: set designer, costume designer
Additional information: He graduated from Central School of Art and Design in London, works as freelance set designer He has designed some 200 productions of opera, drama, dance and musicals around the world. This includes 30 productions as Associate Designer for the Royal Shakespeare Company; also for the National Theatre, London's West End and Broadway. Opera and dance includes productions for Royal Opera, Royal Ballet, English National Opera, Orange, St Petersburg and Venice. He was Head of the Theatre Design Department, Central School of Art and Design (1965-72) and teached at Central Saint Matins College of Art and Design, London too. At the PQ 1975 he participated in the exposition awarded the Gold Medal for stage design (collective) and at the PQ 1979 in the exposition awarded the Golden Triga — the main prize. At the PO 1999, we could see the Ralph Koltai Retrospective in Prague. PQ 1975 - Gold Medal ( Groat Britain) PQ 1979 - Golden Tiiga ( Great Britain) PQ 1987 - Silver Medal for stage design 1991 - Golden Triga (Great Britain) 1967, 1981 Drama Critics Award 1984 - Elected to The Royal Society of Arts 1993 - Distinguished Service to the Theatre, USITT Society of West End Thoatro: Designer of the Year 1978 and 1984







Exhibiting works

• Howard Brenton: (Romans in Britannia), Scheffield Crucible 2006
  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Marie-Jeanne  Lecca

* 1960, Bucharest
Specialization: set designer, costume designer
Additional information: Born in 1960 in Bucuresti, Romania. Costume designer. Graduated from the Academy for Fine Arts in Bucharest and currently co-operates with theatres in Begrenz and London. Living and working in London since 1984 as freelance set and costume designer. Awarded Martinů Medal (2000) for work on Julietta (Opera North) and The Greek Passion (Bregenzer Festspiele and Royal Opera, Covent Garden). She exhibited at PQ in 1999.

Exhibiting works

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: (The Magic Flute), Vienna Volksoper 2005, Director: Helmuth Lohner, , Leopold Hager, , Johan Engels - Set Designer, Friedrich Rom - Lighting Designer
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Alex Lowde (Alexander Lowde)

Specialization: set designer, costume designer
Education: Motley Theatre Design Course; Bursary at Newcastle Playhouse


Exhibiting works

• Jonathan Dove, David Lan: (Tobias and the Angel), Young Vic Theatre and English Touring Opera Company 2004, Director: John Fulljames, , Ben Wright - Choreographer ;
  Comments: With a permanent cast of principals and local community choruses, this production toured to a range of churches and cathedrals using the central aisle to play in traverse.
  

  
  
  
• Neil Murray

Specialization: set designer, costume designer


Exhibiting works

• Allan J Barker: (Homage to Catalonia), Northern Stage with West Yorshire Playhouse 2004, Director: Josep Galindo, , Malcolm Rippeth - Lighting Designer, Mic Pool - Sound Designer, Pablo Ley - Dramaturg ;
  Comments: While the streets outside are crammed with the decaying remains of slaughtered people and horses, some semblance of middle-class existence carries on bizarrely behind closed doors.
  

  
  
  
• Conor Murphy

Specialization: set designer, costume designer, scenographer
Education: Theatre Design, Wimbledon College of Art, London. MA Scenography, Utrecht, Netherlands.


Exhibiting works

• Richard Strauss (1905), Anton Mariotte (1908): (Salome), Opera National de Montpelier Le Corum, Opera Berlioz 2005, Director: Carlos Wagner, , Peter Van Praat - Lighting Designer, Ana Garcia - Choreographer, Marc Ginot - Photographer ;
  Comments: Two versions of Salome played on alternate evenings, on the same set. The costumes and lighting were opulent and brightly coloured for the Strauss, monotone for the Marriotte.
  

  
  
  
• Juliet shillingford

Specialization: set designer, costume designer


Exhibiting works

• Moliere: (The School of Women), Nuffielo Theatre Company 0, Director: Patrick Sandford, ,
  
  
  
• Francis O'Connor

* 26.10.1964, Teeside
Specialization: set designer, costume designer
Education: Studied Theatre Design at Wimbledon School of Art under Richard Negri
Collaboration with theatres: Ireland: Druid Theatre (Galway), Gate and Abbey Theatres (Dublin). UK: RNT, RSC and Young Vic. Scotland: Royal Lyceum
Continuing collaboration with directors: Garry Hynes (Druid), Martin Duncan, Conall Morrison, David Lan and the Young Vic
Additional information: He works extensively with Royal Ballet Education Department.

Exhibiting works

• John Clifford: (Anna Karenina), Royal Lyceum Theatre Company 2005, Director: Muriel Romanes, , Chris Davey - Lighting Designer, Max Richte - Composer ;
  Comments: I created a landscape in which the entire play could unfold. Sometimes the world was confined within the wooden box with its myriad doors, but then it could open out to the forest beyond.
  

  
  
  
• Mark Bailey

Bristol
Collaboration with theatres: Associate Artist at Theatre Clwyd, Wales
Additional information: *1961 Mark's work includes designs for the National Theatre, English National Ballet, Opera North and the Gate Theatre Dublin, as well as for many British Regional Theatres.

Exhibiting works

• Dale Wasserman: (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest), Clwyd Theatr Cymru 2004, Director: Terry Hands, , Terry Hands - Lighting Designer, Kevin Heyes - Sound Designer ;
  Comments: A technical and artistic collaboration was needed to make a visual coup to match the intensity of the final moments of the play.
  
  
  
• Paul Brown

* 1960, South Wales
Specialization: set designer, costume designer
Education: University of St Andrews, Scotland; Motley Theatre Design Course
Continuing collaboration with directors: Graham Vick
Awards: PQ 1999 - Honorary diploma
Additional information: Scenographer and costume designer. He was trained under Margaret Harris. Currently co-operate with theatres in Glyndebourne, Sydney and the Royal Opera in London. He has designed plays for the Almeida company, Giselle (La Scala, Milan), Man of La Mancha (Broadway) and films, including, Angels and Insects and Up at the Villa.

Exhibiting works

• : (La Traviata), Arena di Verona 2004, Director: Graham Vick, , Adrian Linford - Assistant Designer, Peter Kaczorowski - Lighting Designer, Philip Larter - Photographer
• Bunny Christie

* 1962, Fife, Scotland
Specialization: set designer, costume designer
Education: Central School of Art (now CSMCAD)
Awards: 2003 Olivier Award for Set Design
Additional information: She graduated from Central School of Art, London, works as freelance set and costume designer at National Theatre and West End. London. For Renaissance Films she designed Swansong, starring Sir John Geilgud (nominated for an Oscar as Best Short Film) and in 2007, Dance of Death at the Dramaten Theatre, Stockholm.

Exhibiting works

• Patrick Marber: (After Miss Julie), Donmar Warehouse 2003, Director: Michael Grandage, , Neil Austin - Lighting Director, Ivan Kyncl - Photographer ;
  Comments: Michael Grandage created a pre-show scene in which a meal of liver and onions was cooked on stage, the dishes washed up and the kitchen tidied. The play is set in July 1945.
  

  
  
  
• Es Devlin

Specialization: set designer, costume designer, media artist, scenographer, Film & Television Design
Education: Royal Academy of Music, London. English Literature, Bristol University. Stage Design, Motley Theatre Design Course, London.
Awards: TPi Stage Designer of the Year Award (2010). Olivier Award for Best Costume Design (2006), TMA Award for Best Stage Design (1998). Linbury Prize for Stage Design (1996).
Additional information: Born in 1971. Freelance scenographer. She graduated from Bristol University and Motley Theatre Design Course. Currently co-operates with the Rambert Dance Company. In 1995, she received the Linbury Prize for Stage Design. Film designs include Dreams Of Miss X and Harold Pinter’s Victoria Station. Designs for live music: Wire and Jake and Dinos Chapman at the Barbican; the Pet Shop Boys World Tour

Exhibiting works

• Jean Cocteau, Philip Glass: (Orphee), ROH2, Linbury Studio 2005, Director: Francisco Negrin, , Bruno Poet - Lighting Designer, Carl Root - Production Manager ;
  Comments: The Linbury Studio's central orchestra pit descends two metres underground. This inspired the design of an additional lift to continue Orphee's journey through the underworld.
  

  
  
  
• Emma Ryott

* 1958, Leeds
Specialization: costume designer
Education: Nottingham Trent Polytechnic
Collaboration with theatres: Royal Court/Duke of Yorks, Stuttgart Ballet, Neville Holt, Grange Park Opera,Semperoper Dresden, Royal Ballet of Flander
Additional information: She graduated from Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham - Theatre Design, works as freelance costume designer.

Exhibiting works

• Robert Schumann, Alfred Schnittke, Martin Donner: (Der Sandmann), Stuttgarter Ballet 2006, Director: Christian Spuck, , Dirk Becker - Set Designer, Rienhard Traub - Lighting Designer, Jens Schroth - Dramaturge ;
  Comments: A dark fable based on an ETA Hoffmann story. The main character, Nathanael, fights for his sanity after the traumas of his childhood.
• Demitri Shostakovitch, Alban Berg, Arnold Schönberg: (Lulu: Eine Monstretragödie), Stuttgarter Ballet 2003, Director: Christian Spuck, , Dirk Becker - Set Designer, Fabian Spuck - Film ;
  Comments: The simplicity of Lulu's costume was intended to emphasise her initial purity and to steer clear of the "vamp" image. That side was to be fully illustrated through the choreography.
• John Adams: (...la peau blanche...), Stuttgarter Ballet 2005, Director: Christian Spuck, , Jens Schroth - Dramaturge, Stephan Seyrick-Hofmeister - Lighting Designer ;
  Comments: A dark palette for the costumes suggests a world of intrigue and shadows.
  
  
  
• Jamie Vartan

Stansted
Specialization: set designer, costume designer, scenographer
Education: Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design
Collaboration with theatres: Nottingham Playhouse
Continuing collaboration with directors: David Glass, Stephen Medcalf
Additional information: Born in 1964 in Stansted. Scenograf. He studied at the Central School of Art & Design and teaches theatre design at the Central School of Speech & Drama and Rose Bruford College. Currently co-operates with Abbey Theatre in Dublin and is returning to work as designer and artist-in-residence in Asia on the complete Lost Child Trilogy. In 1988, he was awarded Arts Council Training Bursary. Designs for opera include The Queen Of Spades (La Scala, Milan) and A Village Romeo and Juliet (L’Opera magazine nomination best set & costume design 2002).

Exhibiting works

• Georges Bizet: (Carmen), Teatro Lirico di Cagliari 2005, Director: Stephen Medcalf, , Simon Corder - Lighting Designer, Maxine Braham - Choreographer
  

  

  
  
  
• David Howe

Additional information: International design work: Woyzeck in New York; Cabaret for English Speaking Theatre (Frankfurt); Stars of the Musicals (Malaysia). Associate LD on Lord of the Rings (Toronto & London)

Exhibiting works

• Charles Mee: (Orestes 2:0), Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2005, Director: Daniel Kramer, , Becs Andrews - Set and Costume Designer, Ann Yee - Choreographer, Nobby Clark - Photographer
• Richard Downing

Exhibiting works

• Richard Downing: (Water Banquet), (U Man Zoo), 2003, Director: Richard Downing, ,
  
  
  
• Andrea Králová

* 17.12.1970, Plzeň
Specialization: set designer, costume designer, painter , fashion designer, puppet designer, scenographer
Education: Academy of Performing Arts, Prague, PhD in the scenography of alternative and puppet theatre; history of art, Philosophical Faculty, Charles University (Prague)
Collaboration with theatres: Ústí nad Labem: Činoherní studio; Prague: National Theatre, Na Zábradlí, Komedie, Minor; Plzeň: Divadlo J. K. Tyla; Cheb: Západočeské divadlo; Brno: National Theatre; Ostrava: National Theatre
Teaching activities: Academy of Performing Arts, Department of Scenography for Alternative and Puppet Theatre
Continuing collaboration with directors: Jiří Pokorný, Zdeněk Bartoš, Viktorie Čermáková, David Drábek, David Czesany
Additional information: She graduated from art history at FF UK and KALD DAMU (1998). Since 1996 she has continuously co-operated with the National Theatre Prague, the J. K. Tyl Theatre Plzeň, National Theatre in Ostrava, the Drama studio Usti n/L., the Theatre Hadivadlo Brno, the Dejvické Theatre and the Drama Club Prague. She also devotes her time to fine arts (painting, graphic art, carving, ceramics) and film. She is a freelance lecturer at DAMU - she holds a scenography seminar. She held ten individual exhibitions, too.