Creating the set for Stomach
The set design for Stomach has evolved for each returning season to work within the different theatre's and performance spaces it has been staged. Set designer Katrina Wesseling shared her approach to designing the set for The Basement Schools Programme tour.
How did you approach the set design for this schools tour of Stomach?
I work in a very practical way, I don't tend to spend much time designing on paper, I generally have an initial idea and develop things as I create. Coming from a performance background myself I think it's really important to tie in the set with the performance, so ideas were bounced between us all.
What was the overall aesthetic and look you set out to achieve with the set?
At our first meeting the girls said they wanted a set that created a girls hub, a safe place, a cocoon; I think we've achieved this. We wanted to create something warm, hand-made and interactive. A space where you want to hang with your mates.
In what ways is the set used by the actors, and how did that effect your design?
We wanted the set to be woven into the performance, not just decoration, so the actors use it to construct and deconstruct the shrine, which is representative of their relationship. They also use the boxes to change the location from Amy's room to the library.
Where/how did you source the materials and set pieces? Was anything created specifically for the show?
As a designer I'm pretty keen on re-using and recycling resources, so most of the set is made from cardboard boxes that we found outside supermarkets and other shops. The wallpaper and wooden vinyl were found on trademe and most of the furniture is owned by the performers or second hand.
This season of Stomach is traveling around schools. How did this effect your set design and the choices you made?
When traveling a show you want something light weight and small enough to fit in a vehicle. Cardboard boxes came to mind as they are light and can be flattened down, while they also create height and fill the space which is important when you don't have a consistent performance space.
Initially we had planned to flatten the boxes after each performance, but they all manage to fit in the van, which is great, less work!
How did you approach the set design for this schools tour of Stomach?
I work in a very practical way, I don't tend to spend much time designing on paper, I generally have an initial idea and develop things as I create. Coming from a performance background myself I think it's really important to tie in the set with the performance, so ideas were bounced between us all.
What was the overall aesthetic and look you set out to achieve with the set?
At our first meeting the girls said they wanted a set that created a girls hub, a safe place, a cocoon; I think we've achieved this. We wanted to create something warm, hand-made and interactive. A space where you want to hang with your mates.
In what ways is the set used by the actors, and how did that effect your design?
We wanted the set to be woven into the performance, not just decoration, so the actors use it to construct and deconstruct the shrine, which is representative of their relationship. They also use the boxes to change the location from Amy's room to the library.
Where/how did you source the materials and set pieces? Was anything created specifically for the show?
As a designer I'm pretty keen on re-using and recycling resources, so most of the set is made from cardboard boxes that we found outside supermarkets and other shops. The wallpaper and wooden vinyl were found on trademe and most of the furniture is owned by the performers or second hand.
This season of Stomach is traveling around schools. How did this effect your set design and the choices you made?
When traveling a show you want something light weight and small enough to fit in a vehicle. Cardboard boxes came to mind as they are light and can be flattened down, while they also create height and fill the space which is important when you don't have a consistent performance space.
Initially we had planned to flatten the boxes after each performance, but they all manage to fit in the van, which is great, less work!
Evolution of the set
During the debut season of Stomach at The Basement Theatre, Ruby Reihana Wilson worked to create an intimate feel. The team wanted to it to feel like a room the felt lived in, comfortable, and that you would wish was your own bedroom.
Check out the photos below of some of the elements of the original set.
Check out the photos below of some of the elements of the original set.
The show was later performed at BATS theatre, and in an outdoor show in Saraid's backyard. The set evolved to fit the new setting, and cardboard boxes were used to create and construct the world of the show as the story progressed.