A) INTRODUCTION:
This paper is an outline of the processes followed and justification of each and every step taken in the practical set design project for the play uNosilimela, written by Credo Mutwa and performed by the Bachelor of Arts part two students in 2004. Set design in its broadest sense is the visual manipulation of space in order to accommodate the physical requirements of a given performance as well as recreating an appropriate environment or setting of a given performance so as to communicate directors', designer's and playwright's thoughts. Apart from communicating, set design motivates the performers as well as helping them in expressing who they are in a given environment. Set design involves scenic painting, property management, as well as determination of the appropriate staging method to be used.
In designing for the play uNosilimela the designer wanted to achieve the following; to accommodate the physical requirements of the play, to facilitate blocking, to motivate and or inspire the actors, aiding dialogue of the actors as well as expressing the social, political and religious status of the various characters who were in the play. There are so many other aims but these were the basic ones.
In designing this play several procedures were taken but the major ones were; research, determination of the appropriate staging method, ground plan drawing, drawing of the front view of the set, construction of the model box, construction of the set and scenic features as well as the determination of the appropriate properties for each and every individual or scene.
B) Synopsis of the play
Unosilimela is an epic play about Nosilimela a daughter of Kimamireva and Magadlemzini (a daughter of the stars), who was destined to serve the amaQhashi from destruction and lead them to the cave of earth mother where new life was to begin. However, before that she to sinned against her mother and become exiled. She wandered and suffered for about fifteen years before she return to the land of amaQhashi. In the process she faced a lot of troubles in the city and other rural areas of the country. Before returning to the amaQhashi she became blind after Mvelinqangi, a goddess revealed the truth to her. On arrival to the land of amaQhashi, news arrived that Great War is coming and the whole city of Johannesburg has been destroyed. It is then that she had to lead the amaQhashi to the cave of earth mother where the amaQhashi took an oath and a new life that is war and bloodshed free was to begin.
C) PROCESSES FOLLOWED IN DESIGNING THE PLAY UNOSILIMELA:
1) Research
Apart from reading the play several times as well as noting the various physical requirements of the play like the need for a cave, props and so forth designer had also to read several other books for stage craft like Gillette (1992), Kavanagh (1997) and many others so as to find out how best such an epic play can be staged in the Beithall. The designer had to gather ideas from other colleagues as to how an epic can be staged in the Beithall. This was an attempt to find out what is anticipated by the audience, this helped me to compromise what my ideas and those of others to produce something unique. This stage was important to me because that’s where I got the general design concept that I used in the overall design of the play. After the research I managed to get the appropriate staging method for the play.
2) Staging of the play uNosilimela
According Kavanagh (1997:104), staging is the arrangement of the action of the play in space. In other words, it is the relationship between the acting area and the area used to accommodate the audience (auditorium). It was after research that the designer understood the environment in which the action of the play was going to take place. Several factors were considered, like the degree of intimacy required for epic plays, the resources that were available in the place of action (that is the Beithall), the physical demands of the play and many others. After considering all these factors multiple staging, which involves the use of more than one acting area and more than one kind of staging, was opted for as the only solution to these problems.
Firstly, the designer discovered that epic plays usually require high audience participation. For uNosilimela the various songs that were to be used were apparently going to involve the participation of the audience through singing. Therefore, to maximize audience participation there was supposed to be greater intimacy between the audience and the perfumers. Apparently, staging this play on the proscenium would detach the performers from the audience so through multiple staging certain scenes would be placed within or closer to the audience to counter the limitation of the proscenium.
The other major factor that was considered was the physical requirements of the play. The play had 26 scenes (after being edited) of which the action would weave in and out reality and shifts for rural setting to town setting. Therefore, since there was an attempt by the directors to make the play a realistic play, the designer had to separate the physical world from the metaphysical world. Apparently more than one acting area was needed to achieve this. This was later achieved by separating the gods' platform from the rest of the acting areas. This platform was made sacred because it was only to be used by the gods so as to achieve the reality of an imagined spiritual world. Since the action was to shift from rural to town setting the designer had to use different acting areas so as to easy scene changes. This is the reason why the designer went on to extend the apron to make the stage a multiple stage that would accommodate several environments.
Multiple staging is advantageous over other staging methods below are some of these advantages, which influenced the designer to opt for it. Multiple staging provides variety in terms of position. The designer felt that it is boring to view the action which is taking place on one area time and again for a long period of time. Since the play is almost two hours long, it will be boring for the audience to spend all those hours viewing the action which is taking place on the same area. Therefore, multiple staging will allow the action to shift position such that the interest of the audience is not lost through boredom. The designer noticed that in some theatre practitioners, such as the Street Theatre people are losing popularity because for about two years they continue using the same acting area. The audience tends to lose interest if everything is predictable. For the Street Theatre, if you think about Kapfupi the first thing that comes into the mind is the open space of the square in First street in Harare, there is nothing more you would expect other than chairs. So multiple staging vary the place of action a thing that helps to keep the audience anticipating new environments. Multiple staging is also flexible in terms of scene changes a thing that helps to reduce delays between scenes.
After considering the staging that was going to be used, the designer went on to draw the ground plan that was going to represent visually the actual multiple stage that was to be used. As can be seen from fig 1 (ground plan), the stage has about four acting areas which are; the cave area, the proscenium, the platform (above the cave) and the acting area labeled C, which is the medium rostra acting area (frequently used as the forest).
3) Ground plan:
After determining the staging method the designer went on to decide on the rough sketches of the floor plan/ground plan. A ground/floor plan is an Arial view of the set. It shows the positions of the various acting areas including major features of the stage, like caves, rivers, and the likes. The major reasons why it should be drawn are; firstly to give a general outlook of the set, so that both the directors and the performers will become familiar with their set, secondly it helps the directors in considering their blocking even before the actual set is constructed. Since a ground plan is usually drawn to scale, (in my case I used 1:50 see fig. 1) the designer can calculate the number of rostra and flats needed. Due to these two importances of ground plans my sketch ground plans were actually demanded by the directors because they wanted to use them for their rehearsals.
For the directors of uNosilimela, their major concern was on the position of the cave and the home of Magadlemzini because these were the major acting areas of their play. Designer's first sketches led to a long discussion, agreements and disagreements between the directors themselves as well as between the directors and the designer. I had to explain to them each and everything that was on the plan for them to understand the acting area that I was proposing.
Whilst the ground plan is important for giving a general outlook of the set, it has a major drawback of not showing how the actual set will look like in terms of front view such that it is difficulty to notice any sightline difficulties. As a result I had problems in convincing the directors, because they were not able to visualize how the actual set will be like, since what was there was just a general Arial view.
Since I had decided to use multiple staging my original plan had the major acting area on the center of the audience, protruding going to the proscenium. However, later I went on to criticize my on ground plan both in terms of sightlines and resources. I discovered that this set was going to pose problems of sightlines especially for the action which would be taking place on the proscenium, the audience that will be seated on the sides of the auditorium stage will have difficulties in turning to view the action on the proscenium. Apart from that my first ground plan had to use thirty (30) rostra of which there are only twenty five (25) rostra in the Beithall. The other major issue was that, on the main acting area the performers were going to perform several vigorous dances like mbakumba, mhande so to have such dances performed on rostras was going to be dangerous for the performers. Lastly but not least, my plan needed 18 lights of which in the Beithall what is left is only 16 lamps, which are still functioning. Apparently, I had to reconsider my ground plan in order to overcome the difficulties that were before me.
My final ground plan that is shown on fig. 1 had now the main acting area as the Proscenium, and on the apron there will be a cave on the far right side of the extended stage. There will be a platform were the gods will appear and talk to the people. Below the platform there will be the cave of earth mother. This was done mainly to meet the physical requirements of the play. The lower area that protrudes from the cave going to the steps will be used as the Ndendema gorge and in this gorge there is a river. The other areas will be used as forests and at times as towns and even the church. This is how I planned to utilize the stage. After having a scaled ground plan I went on to draw a front view or elevated set.
4) Front view/ Elevated set drawings:
This provides view of the set as will be visualized by the audience. It is a picture or a photograph of the set (see fig. 2). As shown on fig.2 the front view drawings provides the actual appearance of the stage. This helps to determine sightlines. It was through the use of this elevated set, that I managed to convince the directors that there would be no problems of sightlines, since they were now able to visualize the set. It also helped the directors to visualize how the cave will be like because they were much worried as to how it will be constructed. It was through this drawing that the directors completely accepted my ground plan.
This elevated set drawing was also useful in the next step of set design that was the construction of the model box. In actual sense the elevated set drawing is the photography of a model box.
5) Model box construction
A model box is a semi-real set. It is the construction of the real set using cardboard papers, so as to produce a small picture of the real set. It is constructed to a scale that is big enough that all the major stage properties or features are visible.
For my model box I used the scale of 1:33. This scale is big enough that major features of the stage are visible but small enough to make it portable. The designer had to construct the model box before the day of set construction for the following reasons: it was going to be used for set construction, secondly it was going to be used by the directors who had problems with my set plan, so they were going to view how the set will be like. This would help in unnecessary arguments on the day of set construction. In case of my absence on the day of set construction the model box was going to be used by who ever who would have turn up for set construction, since it shows how the designer intends to build his/ her set.
The model box also helped me in determining the possibilities of sightline problems. It also helped me to forecast the possibilities of entrance and exit problems of the actors on stage. Since my model box had only one entrance I recognized that the cast is so big that this one entrance will be problematic such that on the day of set construction I had to modify the set in order to increase the entrances.
6) Set construction:
On the day of set construction we were just following what was on the model box so it did not take us a long to finish set construction. Below is how certain features of the set were constructed.
For the cave a one-meter rostra was used and its sides were not covered. So those who will be getting into the cave will be going under the rostra. The top of the rostra was to become the platform for the gods. A block of steps was placed beside the rostra for the safety of the characters that will be going up to the platform. This area is raised and isolated so as to give an illusion of more power to the gods who will be talking to the people who will be either on low rostras seated on the proscenium.
We used flat for the following reasons: firstly to mask the backstage. Normally the features which will be at the background will be irrelevant to the play, therefore if the backstage is not masked the attention of the audience may be disrupted by those backstage items. Moreover the audience is not interested in seeing the actors at the backstage they want to see those who are already in character that is those on stage. So in other words the flats were used to mask the actors who will not be acting at a given moment. The other use of flats was to communicate certain ideas through scenic painting. For more on scenic painting see the topic scenic painting.
The other flats were used to mask the lighting operator. The intention here was to ensure that the lamp that was being used by the lighting operator would not flood on the stage/acting area. On the opposite of the lighting operator side other flats were used to create an appropriate background for the gods who will be on the platform. How ever these flats helped to create an asymmetrical balance, since they were arranged in almost the same as those that were used to mask the lighting operator.
Various levels of rostras were used to differentiate various acting areas so as to differentiate the powers of actors. For example the gods would appear on the platform these are powerful than the mortal humans so they be always on a raised and isolated stage. Different levels were also used so as to vary the position and angle of action. The designer felt that it is boring to view action from one flat area for long period of time. Also various levels were used to meet the physical requirements of the stage like the gorge, that’s why the area closer to the cave was made to be low.
To minimize the problems of scene changes the designer resorted to bare stage in terms of set properties, with an exception of the cave area that was dressed with few branches so as to create an illusion of a forest. Five entrances were left, with two on the proscenium and the other two on the extended stage. This was meant to reduce the problems of exiting and entrance of actors from and to the stage. Further more there was an attempt to ensure quick scene changes since entrances were many.
Generally, this is how the designer executed his plans. The model box helped us a lot in this set construction.
7) Scenic painting:
The designer opted for descriptive scenery. So painted flats were used so as to convey certain messages about the play. On the background there were two huts painted with a ridge of mountains a distance visible from these huts. These huts were meant to represent a rural setting of the play. This proscenium acting area was going to be the Great place of Magadlemzini; therefore it was like the designer is informing the audience that the King (Magadlemzini) when he is on the proscenium is at his homestead.
Whilst the issue of painting is more of theatricalism in the sense that, painting reduces the level of reality to the level of theatre reality, this background was more that for theatrical reasons because it was symbolic and representational. To achieve symbolism the designer had to put two flats with cut tree logs side by side the huts flats. This was meant to give an illusion of a forest that is suffering form deforestation due to modernization. However, this was symbolic to the designer, it was standing for economical, cultural, political, social and religious decadence due to colonialism. At the surface level the designer wanted to inform the audience that the setting of the play is not in the pre-colonial period of Africa rather it is colonial. To achieve that a flat with a borehole was place near that with cut tree logs. Many individuals thought that the setting of the play Unosilimela is pre-colonial, so the designer did this so as to correct them from this misconception.
In other words the flats were presenting the land of amaQhashi as being on dilemma of colonial destruction. This is evidenced by the likes of Solemamba who leaves the amaQhashi going to the city (source of colonialism) and becoming a robber. In short this is all about the significance of the scenic painting.
8) Stage Properties and property management:
The designer used three types of properties that are set properties, hand properties and decorative properties. In each of these properties an appropriate design approach was used for specific reasons. For example for some properties the designer was minimalist whilst for other properties he tried to be as elaborate as possible. This is true in the following cases.
a) Set Properties:
Set properties are those permanent properties used by actors/performers on stage. In most cases they are used whist on the same place and they help to facilitate blocking.
In the play uNosilimela the designer was minimalist in terms of set properties. The designer used as few set properties as possible. The main reason why the designer did not attempt furnish the stage with elaborate set properties is that the action of the play takes place in diverse places as well as different times. As a result too elaborate design would have led to complications in scene changes. Another important reason why the designer was so minimalist was to keep the performance in its original format. The play in its original context was an open door performance so to keep the play in its traditional format the designer was also minimalist in terms of set properties.
This is evident in various situations, for instance the same place which was to be used as the forest was to be used again within a couple of minutes as the church. This means that if the designer had tried to elaborately give an illusion of the real forest, it was going to be problematic to convert the same place into a church scene. The following are the set properties used by the designer.
Set props used.
-Green tree branches at the cave of Earth mother
-2 stools one for Magadlemzini and the other for S'godo
-A chair for the headman at Transkei
-A pot of water that was invisible to the audience, to give an illusion of a river.
Justification
The designer used green tree braches at the cave of Earth mother, so as to give an illusion of a cave in a thick forest. This would justify Solemamba's question to his father when he and his mother went out to look for him (Magadlemzini) "---father what are you doing in the forest? ---" However, only a few branches were used and they were enough to represent a thick forest. Those few branches were enough to convince the audience that we are in a real forest.
Two stools were used, instead of chairs. These were meant to give an illusion of traditional society. However, stools were reserved for important characters. For instance, Magadlemzini only sit on the stool whilst the rest of the amaQhashi (except S’godo) would sit down on the ground. The stool was high enough to delineate Magadlemzini. The stool was to be always placed at the center stage whilst the rest are seated around him. This would give more focus on him; he is made a powerful character because he his sitting position, moreover, the height of the stool clearly made him the major focus. When S'godo comes to report the coming of Nosilimela's husband, he is also given a stool. However, this stool is smaller and lower than that of Magadlemzini. This has been done to maintain the position of the King but to remind the audience that S'godo is also an important person in the throne of Magadlemzini he does not sit directly on the ground. S'godo is an important Induna of the King. The stools are portable such that each character on exit would carry his prop. This helps in facilitating fast scene changes, so as not to drown the interest of the audience due to delays in scene changes.
The designer used a chair for the headman at Transkei. A black and smooth chair was used so as to give an illusion of a rural area that has been contaminated by modernization as evidence by the headman's behavior. The chair is smooth; this represents the kind of life that, the headman likes. As indicated in the dialogue he wants to be taken to a hotel in Transkei. A hotel is a nice place, with modern and well-furnished chairs as well as nice food. So the smoothness of the chair is symbolic of the kind of life the headman likes.
The designer also used a pot with water to give an illusion of a river. However, the pot was invisible to the audience. This was done intentionally so as to give an illusion that the water is in a gorge. The other reason why the designer made the river invisible to the audience was to enable this area to be used again for other scenes like the town scene as in the scene where S'kigi and Magadaphansi mock Nosilimela. If the river was going to be visible it was going to be problematic to transform this acting area into a town scene. In this river that’s where Solemamba washes his face and where uNosilimela fetch some water when she meets Jabulani Kasokela. So the major reason why the river was put was to meet the physical demands of the text. The river is another item that helps to give a realistic forest.
As for the rest of the scenes the designer was minimalist. For example in the church scene there were neither tables nor altars to give a realistic church. In one of the town scene the designer even went on to discard some physical requirements of the text, for example when S'kigi and Magadaphansi mock Nosilimela she was supposed to fall into a bin according to the stage directions but for the designer this was going to be problematic in scene changes. Moreover, as for this scene the bin was once used during rehearsals but it was not effective in showing a realistic environment because it was dangerous for Nosilimela to fall into the bin, as the text requires. Therefore, the designer went on to discard set props and relied on the imagination of the audience.
b) Decorative properties:
These are properties used for the purpose of beautifying an environment, actors do not use them but they help communicate certain ideas of the performance. In this play the designer used two pictures in the church scene, one that had a portrait of Jesus Christ and the other that was showing two hands put together as the case when some Christians are praying. These pictures though they were not used by the actors they were communicative. The picture of Jesus Christ was meant to show that we are in the church. In most churches there are pictures of Jesus. So the picture was helpful in telling the audience about where the actors were. Even without talking about the church the audience would have recognized that this might be a church. The picture of two hands was meant to show a person praying. The designer was trying to say this is a prayerful environment. Despite the fact that there were no set props to show that this scene was a church scene those pictures helped the designer in portraying the demands of the text.
c) Hand properties:
Hand properties are those portable properties that the actors carry with and use on the stage. They are important because they help to delineate certain characters, in actors' gestures especially for emphasis of certain ideas and they also help to communicate certain ideas that may not be revealed in the dialogue. For example in this play shield were helpful in communicating the setting of the play since they (shields) are well known as war weapons for the Zulus. By mere looking at the weapons which were given to the warriors the audience could easily tell the environment in which the play was taking place. The designer was as realistic and elaborate as possible. This was mainly because hand properties do not constrain scene changes as the case with set properties.
In designing for hand properties, the designer had to construct what he termed Property Cue Sheet (P.C.S). The designer founded this move as an attempt to minimize the probability of loss of properties. The designer used the Property Cue Sheet also as a way of recording the properties needed, the characters that were going to use these properties as well as informing when and where the property would be used. Since my stage manager was always busy with other things I had to use this sheet to remind the actors what they must use in each specific scene. The P.C.S had a multiple function for it also worked as a property list as well as a cue sheet for reminding what is supposed to be used for each scene. Each hand property had a specific function as will be shown in the following passages.
The designer gave Magadlemzini a knobkerrie for several reasons. Firstly, the knobkerrie was meant to aid Magadlemzini in gestures especially in emphasizing certain points like when Nosilimela was with Jabulani in the cave to show his seriousness he used the knobkerrie to point where Nosilimela was and where the river was. It was clear that Nosilimela was lying because the impression given by the pointing was that the river was so far away from Nosilimela was. The knobkerrie was also used to delineate Magadlemzinini from the rest of the amaQhashi. The way he grabbed the knobkerrie was different from the usual one. He was holding the knobkerrie at its middle this gives a sense of authority. Moreover, the knobkerrie was symbolic. A knobkerrie symbolizes peace; in this play I was trying to inform the audience that for the plight of the amaQhashi to end they must be at peace as Mangothobani at the cave of earth mother told them. Magadlemzini is now old and needs rest that’s why he is holding a knobkerrie instead of a spear. The storyteller was also given a knobkerrie; its use was for aiding gestures as explained above. However, the major function was to show that the storyteller is now an old man. This is clearly shown by the way he holds the knobkerrie, that’s is by its to, he is using it for balance.
Namdozolwana was given a ceremonial axe and a switch so as to delineate from the rest of the amaQhashi. The ceremonial axe is associated with the spiritual world so anyone who will be found with such a hand prop would be thought to have supernatural powers. Namdozolwana is a supreme witch so the switch which is usually used by the sangomas as well as the ceremonial axe for me would actual give this character a super being human. Her fearless character will evidence this especially when she and her son Solemamba went into the forest to investigate the disappearance of a homestead. She is not afraid whist Solemamba is afraid of going any further. The designer also gave a switch to Mangothobani because she is a sangoma, as already said switches are mainly used by sangomas but she is not like Namdozolwana who is a witch, so to differentiate her from the witch I did not give her a ceremonial axe.
For the warriors shields and spears as well as bows and arrows were given to them. These warriors are warmongers and they are energetic, so spears and shields were given to them so as to show their ambitions and wishes. These war weapons also helped to portray a tradition environment, we would not expect shields and spears in the modern world. These would also help to show the specific group of African traditional society in question. In this case it is apparent that it is the Zulu society because they are the ones who are well known for using shields. To delineate major warriors like Solemamba, S'godo and the guards of the King the designer gave other warriors bows and sticks whilst important warriors were given shields and spears. The guards at the cave of earth mother were given sticks and nothing more. This was meant to portray the fact that Kimamireva and her monsters were too primitive than the amaQhashi. Whilst the amaQhashi were now using bows and arrows as well as spears the Kimamireva kingdom who is of the old age amaQhashi were using sticks.
In the wedding scene the designer had to segregate the bride and the groom from the rest of the people by giving them first priority of a clean place. For instance, the aunties were to sweep were the two were walking along, at the celebrations the two were to stand at the grass mat whilst the rest were dancing at the ground. The grass mat was to be placed at the center stage so as to attract the attention of the audience to them.
For the Transkei headman the designer sort to exaggerate the humor of the play by ridiculing the headman. To achieve this the designer gave the headman a bottle of beer at the court. It is ridiculous to have a court session being led by someone who is not only drunk but someone who is even drinking.
For the Homecoming scene the designer gave Mr. Makudula an umbrella. He lives in town and has just visited the amaQhashi where the bus stations are probably a long way from the homesteads, so the designer sort to give an impression of someone who has walked a long distance during a hot day. The designer gave an impression that it is hot this day as shown by Mr. Makudula who arrived at the Great place of Magadlemzini with his umbrella open. Apart from that the designer was trying to exaggerate the pride of Makudula for he is now a modernized person with a modern sun protector. The umbrella helped a lot in differentiating him from the rural people.
For the church scene a Bible was enough to portray a church environment. It helped to show that sister Veronica is a Christian. The Bible also helped sister Veronica in gestures, despite the fact that she was not preaching to Nosilimela the way she would use the Bible created a spiritual environment. Apart from the fact that there were no set props to show a church environment the designer managed to give an impression that we are in the church.
There are other properties that were given to the actors so as to meet the requirement of the text. For example, Msomi was given an axe just because in his lines he would say "---now my axe will meet her---" when he was chasing uNosilimela. UNosilimela was given a clay pot and a gourd just because in the play she has to go to the river to fetch some water. However, this would help to show the type technology that was prevailing during this period that is being depicted in the play. The gourd from which Nosilimela drinks salt water as directed by Mvelinqangi, was put on the stage because it was a demand of the text. However, a gourd is a sacred thing even in the Shona culture in Zimbabwe, so it was significant because gives a sense of the African traditional worshipping methods. In Zimbabwe such gourds are used at various worshipping functions like the mukwerera ceremony and the likes.
At one point the designer gave the actors certain props so as to achieve certain aesthetics. This was true in the scene were two women were give winnowing dishes and one of them with a grinding equipment (duri). The main aim of the designer was to achieve aesthetic balance. The designer had to place the woman who had grinding equipment in between those who had winnowing dishes. This situation had a good visual picture for it provided asymmetrical balance of actors on stage. However, these properties were chosen so as to portray the African traditional economic practices. In this case I was just emphasizing the point that Africa is an agro-based continent and the history stretches back to pre-colonial Africa.
As for the rest of hand properties, the designer was attempting to stimulate action on stage. It was an attempt to give the actors stage business. For example, in the scene where, S’kigi and Magadaphansi mock uNosilimela. Skigi was given a newspaper to read and Magadaphansi was given a cigar, these had little importance other than occupying the actors on stage.
In a nutshell this is how and why the designer decided to use the various hand properties that were used in the place uNosilimela. There were other properties that were also introduced by the directors despite the fact that the designer was not interested in using them, like the cigar that was used for a woman at the Transkei court. Such properties have not been accounted for in this analysis.
D) Production style and evaluation
Production style refers to the way a given designer executes his/her ideas. In other words production style is the designer's system of codification or his ways of communicating with the audience. The designer can be a naturalist, realist, surrealist and so forth. In designing for the play uNosilimela I was not informed/inspired by any one single style rather, it was the conditions that inspired me. Basically three styles dominated my design, these are: suggestive realism, symbolism and theatricalism.
Before explaining how These three styles manifest in my design style, it will be clear to start by mentioning some of the conditions that influenced my work: Firstly, the genre of the play was of great impact to me. The play is an epic; epic plays are usually allegoric. This means that the meaning is not all that clear, rather the meaning is behind the story. For example this play uNosilimela is allegoric as clearly shown by the way history of Africa is depicted through the journey motif of Nosilimela to the town and back to the rural areas. This symbolizes the journey from of Africa from pre-colonial (amaQhashi), to the colonial era (represented by the town) and back to the rural are and the beginning of the new life, which is independence. Despite the fact that the designer was not interested in executing such allegories he was great inspired by the issue of symbolism which is found in allegories, hence symbolism if evidence in his design.
The other factor that inspired the designer was the directors’ approach. For instance, whilst an epic is an anti-illusionist theatre, which unlike the Stanislavski's method approach dissuades the actor from complete absorption in his role, the directors were interested in making the play a realistic play. The actors were being required to use the Stanislavski's psycho-technique to execute their roles. Therefore in such an environment the designer had to equip the actors with an appropriate environment that would make them believable/ realistic. This is the reason why I used suggestive realism in my design.
The last factor that inspired the designer was the audience. The audience is an important element of the theatre. When designing one has to be audience conscious, one has to consider the feelings and needs of the audience. Therefore as a designer who is audience sensitive my ambition was to thrill and amuse the audience therefore there is no way I could have avoided theatricalism.
a) Symbolism
Symbolism means attempts to represent certain thoughts, ideas, emotions or story through the placement of representational visual and aural icons on stage. Certain things on stage will be meaningful beyond what they mean in real life.
In my set design most of the stage features were meaningful beyond their usual meaning. For example the background tree logs that were representing deforestation were symbolizing the invasion and destruction of the African culture, in general terms that is "cultural deforestation". The cave that is a hidden place was symbolizing a future imagined peaceful world. Magadlemzini's knobkerrie was not a knobkerrie for the sake of it; rather it was a symbol of peace. The designer was trying to inform the amaQhashi (the audience in actual sense) that a future good Africa is only possible through peace.
The stage plan itself was symbolic. When actors move from one acting area to the other there were certain connotations to be conveyed there. For example, the proscenium was far away from the audience and that was the great place of Magadlemzini. This area was symbolic in the sense that it was far away from the audience and it was representing pre-colonial Africa. The area closer to the audience was symbolizing the modern world that’s why it was closer to audience, hats all town scenes were to be done at the extended stage area. Just by the corner of the extended stage there was the cave. The cave that is a hidden area was representing an imagined world of Africa, that is an Africa that is war and bloodshed free, a peaceful world. There were so many other things that were symbolic built the abovementioned ones were the major ones.
The above style could not have worked well alone because the meanings are not readily available to the audience. Therefore the designer had to use suggestive realism to compliment symbolism.
b) Suggestive realism
Suggestive realism is an attempt to create an illusion of reality but leaving the rest for the audience to imagine on its own. On the set of the play uNosilimela there were attempts to give such illusions, for example the cave area of the lower extended stage few tree branches were put so as to give an illusion of a real forest. This was the same with the cave itself, the was an attempt to give an illusion of a real cave, such that when Magadlemzini say to Nosilimela; "what are you doing in the cave of baboons?” The audience will not doubt Nosilimela was in the cave because she will be coming form a cave like thing. Despite the fact that this cave was not a real cave the audience would easily imagine it, for details see the model box. I would not go on to mention several other instances where suggestive realism was used because some of these instances just happened spontaneously.
Too much of realism can become boring. The audience do not come to the theatre to see real things, rather they want to be thrilled, amused and to relax. In order to meet these demands of the audience the designer had to use theatricalism in his design.
c) Theatricalism
Theatricalism is a 20th century movement that emphasized picturesque expression with artistic and aesthetic imagery. This design style do not seek to give an illusion of reality, rather it seek to catch the interest of the audience through stage gymnastics.
To achieve that the designer had to use painted background flats with some attractive colors like yellow, blue, black and white. Despite the fact these paintings were meaningful the designer opted for them for their aesthetic value. They were meant to beautify the background apart from their artistic imagery. The flats communicate in an artistic manner. Therefore the designer was not trying to give a complete picture of reality rather the paintings continuously reminds the audience that this is not reality we are in the theatre. Many other instances may be identified but they were of little significance compared to the above-mentioned example.
Despite the fact that I analyzed these styles separately they all worked as one entity in my design. It must be known that analysts and critics may argue that there were other styles that were used by the designer of uNosilimela that cannot be denied but this will be truly speaking accidental if not unintended.
E) Manipulation of elements of design and principles of composition.
Designing is playing around with elements of design as well as understanding the various ways of manipulating these elements that is, knowing the principles of design like harmony, balance and many others. In designing set for the play uNosilimela the designer consciously and unconsciously manipulated the various elements of design like color, size, shape, texture, and many others.
To start with the scenic painting the designer had to chose background flats with colors that are appealing to the eyes of the audience. The color yellow on the background had a certain sensual and aesthetic effect. The audience is usually sensitive to such colors as yellow, blue and white. The blue color that was used to depict the blue sky was also meant to evoke certain emotions. The designer just felt that since many people like nature the blue sky can be part of the interesting example of nature. At the edges of the painted flats white flats were placed in such a way that they form a symmetrical balance. Balance is something that is interesting in life though at times it can be boring. In situating the painted flats at the central potion of the background the designer was trying to draw the attention of the audience to this part because that was the main acting are of this play.
On the floor the designer had to paint the floor with black color. This was meant to achieve uniformity. Whilst the designer was contrasting the white color on the flats that were placed on the edges of the extended stage, the color was meaningful on its own. It was meant to symbolize the uniformity of world religion, which is made different by the inhabitants of different given areas.
The designer had to vary the proportion of various levels of the acting areas for different reasons. There were the lowest level rostra, the low rostra, the medium rostra the high rostra and the highest level (the proscenium area). This was meant to show the hierarchical nature of life. Apart from that this was intended to vary the acting areas. The designer felt that this would help to reduce boredom that is likely to result from viewing action on one flat acting area. Magadlemzini was also given a stool that was to make him higher so as to contrast with rest of the people who would be seated on the ground. This was intended to make him a powerful character since he was the king.
In terms of texture the designer used rough texture for Magadlemzini’s stool whilst the headman of Transkei was given a smooth chair. This was meant to show a difference between these two rural areas. Apart from that a smooth chair that was given to the Transkei headman was meant to symbolize the ambitions of the headman. For example the headman wants smooth life as evidenced by his need to be taken to Transkei hotel where there is presumably good life.
There were so many other ways though which the designer manipulated the elements of design and principles of composition. However, the above-explained ways were achieved consciously, there were mainly achieved unconsciously without necessarily intending the effect.
F) Challenges and limitations:
There were so many challenges and limitations that were faced by the designer; some of the major ones are listed below:
The first problem was on draw a stage plan that was going to accommodate 26 scenes, some of which were to be performed in different environments and different times. To overcome this problem the designer used multiple staging. However, this could not have solved the problem of delays on scene changes because there were going to be instances where the same place would be used subsequently but standing for different environments. Therefore the designer resorted to minimalist approach in terms of set properties; rather hand props were extensively used to communicate various environments. For example a newspaper was used for the town scene where S’kigi and Magadapansi mock Nosilimela; spears were effective for the rural scenes.
The other problem that was faced by the designer was that of convincing the directors to accept my ground plan. Since there were two directors, I had to meet the demands of both of them because at times they had to direct the play in separate units. For example Mr. Chikonzo was mainly concerned about dance choreography. In order to satisfy the two I had to draw an elevated stage plan as well as trying to meet the demands of each of them. For instance Mr. Chikonzo did not want the idea of a platform for the gods because he thought this would disturb the dancing in those scenes that had vigorous dances, whilst Mr. Seda wants it. So I had to provide the demands of the two not at the expense of the other. This helped to show how exactly the stage set will look like and it was then that it became clear to the directors. Each had to look for an appropriate area that would fit his major concerns.
The other problem the designer faced was that of shortage of resources. For instance rostra were not enough for my original ground plan. The lamps were also not enough for the acting areas that I had suggested. To overcome this, the designer had to compromise the ground plan by reducing the acting area.
The other challenge was on the utilization of space. During rehearsal there was a tendency to use two acting areas at the expense of the third acting area that was available. For example, the main proscenium and the cave acting area were being overused/ used more than necessary. This was a problem to me because as a designer each acting area is significance hence must be fairly utilized. To do overcome this problem the designer had to work with the directors in suggesting where certain scenes may be done. For example, there was one instance when the church scene was about to be performed on the big block step which was closer to the cave and the designer had to suggest that this scene would be more appealing if it is done on the medium rostra area - that is acting area c which was being under-utilized.
Lastly but not least, the other challenge was of ensuring that each actor goes on stage with appropriate properties. There was a tendency by the actors of leaving the properties backstage when going on stage such that they would mime as if there were no props. The stage manager who was supposed to give cues to the actors was always busy on recording blocking. Therefore, to overcome this problem the designer had to construct a property cue sheet (see property cue sheet) that he used to remind the actors what they should carry for a given scene.
G) CONCLUSION
Generally, designing set for an epic is a challenging task. It is difficult to transfer the action of an epic to the proscenium. Epic plays like uNosilimela are meant for outdoor performances. However, whilst I would agree that it was difficult and challenging for me, I discovered that challenges and difficulties are the major ingredients of greater creativity and imagination. Without challenges and difficulties there is a problem of complacency, without these I could not have produced the design that I produced for this play. One important thing to note is that a set designer must not isolate him/herself. He or she must know various thoughts and ideas of the crewmembers like the directors, the stage manager as well as those of his fellow designers and even those of the actors themselves.
In this project I discovered that set design is central in any given production. Familiarizing the performers and the directors with their set is inspirational. The directors and the performers are all inspired by the set, their creativity and imagination is usually enlarging when they are working on the actual set. I discovered that after constructing the set the both the actors and the directors were now doing their work at rate that was a bit higher than before the set was built. Even the stage manager and the lighting designer began to understand their blocking notation and lighting strategies respectively after the set was built. Therefore, set design is the core of any theatre production, especially when it is play production.
