Bittersweet Sunshine..

Bittersweet Sunshine opened at the Carriageworks in Leeds on the 17th June. The set looked really nice in the venue, here are some images I took during the dress rehearsal.

Bittersweet Sunshine..

This is the hat I have made for the character of the air hostess, I found her a very similar suit to the drawing and I and altering it this week, I still need to find the shoes!

Bittersweet Sunshine..

Last week I went to Leeds to see the set, the projection screen is still to come, but all the paint work is finished. The set was built by a company called Q division. I was really impressed by the quality and the price of the set. We are still sourcing some furniture and altering some costumes ready for the performances starting on the 21st June, at the Carriage works, Leeds.

Bittersweet Sunshine..

I have finished the model, technical drawings and costume drawings for Bittersweet Sunshine. I have the final design presentation meeting tomorrow and I will also be going to see the venue that the show will be performed at.

Here are the costume drawings...

Here  is the model..

Bittersweet Sunshine..

I have worked on the projection screen at the back of the set, this will be used for flash back scenes, where Solomon (who was a child soldier in Sierra Leone) imagines huge shadows from his former life taking over his surroundings.

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!