Bittersweet Sunshine..

This design is for a play that I am doing with Red Ladder/Red Grit, for the emerge festival in Leeds.

The play is based on a guy called Terry who runs and English bar in the Costa Brava, his neice comes to visit him to ask questions about her Father and find out about his past.

During my research I have been looking at the photographer Martin Parr, who over saturates images of the stereotypical tourist on holiday. I also liked the idea of the Costa Brava/the bar/ their lives being very gray and dull, old and worn but having a facade that is all flashing bright over saturated, as Ben put it "hyper real". Another thing that stood out to me when researching into the bars in tacky holiday resorts is the bombardment of hand written black board sign advertising all the home comforts from England. They almost tessellate the walls of the clubs and bars.  I liked the idea of having lots of these signs, either advertising the usual fish n chips, pukka pies etc..or maybe some of the things that the hostess/rep talks about during her odd speeches!  For example "casual sex", "extreme alcohol intake" etc etc!