Ever wondered what it really takes to design a spectacular set for the stage? We took a trip to Scenic Projects in Lowestoft, the creative wizards behind our pantomime magic, to find out! We spoke with Head of Design, Ian Fisher, and Managing Director, Nicholas Garrodd, as they walked us through the intricate process of designing the stunning world for our upcoming production of Cinderella.
What’s the process for starting a new design?
We start by having a meeting with the client, so it would be with Norwich Theatre in this case, to get an understanding of what they are looking for with the product. This starts early on, a few months into the year, and there is a lot of back and forth. Working our what we can reuse and budget and to get an idea of the style.
This year, Cinderella is in this 50s style period. In the past we have done a few different styles actually. Like Sleeping Beauty, a few years back was in the Edwardian period, and Jack and the Beanstalk was like this western, Dolly Parton style.
But this year we started by making a model, and that process is quite lengthy, so all up it has been about seven or eight months already. But making the model is so, we can see how stuff on the stage works.
Panto this year is set at beaches of Norfolk. Have you pulled in the local look for this year’s show?
Yes, so I’ve had a fish and chips, and a couple of nice pints on the pier side! But going to the North Coast, Cromer and Yarmouth, to gather as many influences as possible. And taking a lot of reference pictures, but bringing in a lot of the different inspirations, and what people would expect from the seaside.
But we are also trying to make the product as reusable as possible, to turn them into other things. Even through they are specifically made for this production, we always hope they will get an afterlife. And we hope they can see the inspiration for this production in what we are making.
What, in terms of design, is the most difficult?
There are a few things. There are lots of things that can go wrong in panto, especially with the slosh scene. But that is where the set model comes in handy, to see how these things can end up working.
Is the design process collaborative with the creative team at Norwich Theatre?
Massively, from start to finish. It’s there. I mean, it’s their brief, and we must work with what they want, but can still put our own ideas and prompts into it. But because we try to do as much reusing and recycling as possible, we sometimes have to change the route and ask if there are other things we can use, other ways we can execute that idea instead.
We couldn’t do it without being collaborative it is a team effort in theatre, you just have to get it done that way. And it makes it much more enjoyable working with a team with a bigger idea in mind.
Amazing, thank you. And you’re based locally. How does it feel to make sets so close to home?
It is great! Being able to work for Norwich Theatre. We can showcase our work to our friends and family. Our parents, our kids, family are all booked in to come and see what we do. And yeah., it is cool to invite them to the studio to show them how we work, but seeing it in production, in use on the stage. It can get quite emotional. That our company, our work is known so locally, people are aware of it. And it is such an honour, Norwich is such a lovely city.
Going to panto is a real event for us, being invited to see he show, feeling like a true part of the bigger design team. When it is all delivered and installed, our job is kind of done, but seeing the rehearsals during dress and press night, we often take photos ourselves to see it all in action.
You can catch all the amazing sets during Cinderella’s run at Norwich Theatre Royal between 6 Dec – 4 Jan. For more information or to book, visit norwichtheatre.org or call the Box Office on 01603 630 000.
