National Theatre 2001

National Theatre

South Bank, London

Director: Jeremy Sams
Designer: Robert Jones
Lighting Designer: Tim Mitchell
Sound Designers: Fergus O'Hare




































Laughter springs from the sight of actors in Nothing On made tense by props that fail to behave properly. Christopher Benjamins's Selsdon Mowbray, a deafish, mildly senile old thespian, in thrall to the bottle, is an accident waiting to happen. But in Frayn's gloriously comic second scene, which enables the audience to watch Nothing On being performed from a backstage perspective, Selsdon is not the only disaster-prone performer. The on-stage passions run in contrast to the actors' off-stage sexual relations, not to mention Peter Egan's nicely caddish two-timing director.




http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/?lid=1232&dspl=reviews

Old Town Theatre 2009

Old Town Theatre

San Diego, CA



Director: Sean Murray
Properties Designer: Bonnie L. Durben
Set Designer: Sean Fanning
Wig and Makeup Designer: Peter Herman
Costume Designer: Corey Johnston
Sound Designer: Matt Lescault-Wood
Lighting Designer: Eric Lotze














Give kudos all around, with hopes that everyone makes it through the play’s demanding run. Sandy Campbell, a fine Belinda, took a spill that didn’t appear to be part of George Ye’s accurate stunt choreography. Rosina Reynolds, as Dotty, proves once more that she is equally adept with any role’s verbal and physical challenges. Jessica John, flowingly blonde in the most prominent of Peter Herman’s designed wigs, appropriately non-acts as Brooke, the requisite ingénue who spends most of the play in her underwear. Kim Strassburger, as the put-upon Poppy, again demonstrates her talent for comic victimhood — and also loses part of her clothing.

Bonnie L. Durben’s prop design provides all the essentials, plus a chuckle-worthy cactus plant that resembles male genitalia.

http://www.sandiego.com/index.php?option=com_sdca&target=f08ce45c-2889-496e-bd7c-7c3d2ada20c5

Paper Mill Playhouse 2000

Paper Mill Play House

Millburn, New Jersy

Director: James Brennan
Set Design: Michael Anania
Lighting Design: Jack Mehler
Costume Design: Jan Finnell
Sound Design: David B. Smith















The Paper Mill troupe, led by Brian Murray who is reprising the role of Director Lloyd Dallas which he played on Broadway, does it admirably wellt. The rest of the cast performs well, particularly Fiona Gallagher as Brooke Ashton and Leo Leyden as Selsdon Mowbray. I confess that I missed Dorothy Loudon as Dotty Ottley but Anne Rogers plays this part well even though, she's missing a bit of Loudon's sarcastic edge which is an interpretation that worked better for me than Rogers' more clownish choice. But this is a criticism so insignificant as to be nothing more than some minor noise from me. Disregard it and go have a wonderful time at the Paper Mill.

http://www.curtainup.com/noisesoff.html

Photos:

World Play:

Statement: In Europe in this era many things were taking place such as the Falklands war, Pope John Paul II being wounded to Jets crashing in Norway. Many of these controversies hold true to the way that the actors as humans may hold themselves. Many things were different in the world of 1982 compared to that of today’s standards. Such discovers as Satellite as well as MRI machines were introduced to Brittan in 1982. Although hair and clothing in Europe seemed to fall towards what the TV and movie actors were wearing. Such TV shows such as Magnum, P.I and Knight Rider where hits with the teenagers and gave them a new rugged outlook on how the cool kids looked. In the music world Michael Jackson came out with his debut of “Thriller” which sky rocketed his adult solo career. While on the other side of the music standard you had Ozzy Osbourne biting the head off of a bat during a performance on stage. Over all music was in its beginning stages of showing itself in a new light and also showing its own new genre of music call “punk” which was music that seemed to be geared for that of the teenager of this era. As for Technological advances developers created the CD player which people thought took away a lot of the bulk and compacted everything into an even smaller set up to carry around. Also human insulin was produced and sold out for the very first time. Also in 1982 scientist Scott Fahlam suggested using such expressions in e-mail such as emoticon which was said to be a way of expressing one’s self and their emotion on e-mail. These occurrences help form and create as visual aids for the characters of noises off. Many of these things need to be addressed in order to gain a better understanding of the technological as well as other advances in the world that the playwright lived in at the time that he wrote the production. These key issues could be things that Frayn is addressing and without the research could be lost in the dialogue if not used in the correct manner as they were placed for comedic humor on issues that he was dealing with in that time era. This research also helps technologically for the set designer to give them an outlook of what things need to be discussed about as for that of setting and placement of furniture of the set itself. As well as that for the sound designer this research gives good examples of the types and styles of music that was listened to during this era. Although it may not be the proper choice per say it gives him/her somewhat of a better direction to look into.

Macro View:

War:

British overcome Argentina in Falklands war (April 2–June 15). Israel invades Lebanon in attack on P.L.O. (June 4).


http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0005264.html

Statement: This occuring during the year and time of the play would cause an substainal effect of the actors. this could also effect the writing styles of the playwrights.





Pope John Paul Wounded:

A priest who attacked Pope John Paul II in 1982 reached the pontiff with a bayonet and drew blood, it has emerged.
The extent of the injury from the attack in Portugal was kept quiet, a film based on an aide's memoirs says.
The ultra-conservative Spanish priest, Juan Maria Fernandez y Krohn, was convicted and jailed in Portugal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7673443.stm


Statement: This tragic event also is something that could cause an effect on the outlook of a production and how it is directed.




Europe discovery of Oil and Gas:

The exploration of new areas has culminated in rank new-field wildcat discoveries throughout Europe. Mesozoic discoveries offshore Norway dominate. This area is at peak (North Sea) or past peak (continental northwestern Europe) production of the large Mesozoic oil fields discovered in the 1960s and 1970s. An increase in the level of exploration for the Tertiary and little explored Mesozoic oil plays of the Mediterranean region will ensure an increase in the momentum of development and production of these resources.--Modified journal abstract

http://aapgbull.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/67/10/1948

Statement: Europe just like the rest of the world is trying to find alternate means of energy to survive.





Satellite in Europe debuts in 1982:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyVMDShFUnM


Statement: This is something that should be viewed and directed upon by the director of the production to understand the technological era that he/she is set in.




Jets crashing in Norway:

A Norwegian investigation into whether British military jets were involved in a fatal mid-air collision with a passenger plane over northern Norway was thrown into fresh controversy yesterday by the Ministry of Defence.
A Norwegian investigation into whether British military jets were involved in a fatal mid-air collision with a passenger plane over northern Norway was thrown into fresh controversy yesterday by the Ministry of Defence.
A parliamentary inquiry in Oslo is examining the circumstances of the crash on 11 March 1982 in which 15 people were killed when their turboprop plane came down in the sea near Mehamn, in Norway's northernmost province of Finnmark.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/mystery-of-1982-norway-jet-crash-deepens-572129.html

Statement: Although this has no involvment with the production itself I beleive in a sense that it could be utlized by a prop such as a newspaper.





ESU was created for education in 1982:

European Students' Union (ESU) formerly known as ESIB - The National Unions of Students in Europe - is the umbrella organisation of 47 national unions of students from 36 countries and through these members represent over 10 million students. The aim of ESU is to represent and promote the educational, social, economic and cultural interests of students at a European level towards all relevant bodies and in particular the European Union, Council of Europe and UNESCO. ESU is a full member of the European Youth Forum (YFJ), the ESU nominee for 2006 was elected the president of the YFJ.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Students

Statement: again this has nothing to do with the production although it is a strong happening in Europe to get a better understanding of the world around them.

Technology:

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machines are introduced in Britain.....According to a Surgeon General's Report released in March, lun cancer kills 111,000 Americans, up from 18,313 in 1950.....Electronic mail gains in popularity after third-generation Japanese technology reduces transmission time to 20 seconds a page, reducing per-page costs from $4 to $1; by the end of the year there are 350,000 fax installations in the U.S., up from 69,000 in 1975.

http://www.eightiesclub.com/id87.htm

Statement: This I feel is very helpful and subjective due to the fact that it is also something that shows the technological era in which the production is set in.

Pornography:

In Britain, where pornography is already more restricted than it is anywhere else in the English-speaking world or in Western Europe, sexual media is easily smeared for an audience that is seldom given an opportunity to see what really is sold under the name of "pornography". However the Obscene Publications Act 1959 (in England and Wales) and the Civig Government (Scotland) Act 1982 currently ban the publication and distribution of such material, but not its possession. British-made pornography tends to focus on a rough-and-ready semi-amateur look rather than the more stylized glamourous look of mainland European pornography.
Producers such as Ben Dover concentrate on producing "girl-next-door" or "candid" material. Some British pornography concentrates on sexual fetishism, particularly erotic spanking and rubber fetishism which has been popular in Britain since the 1950s. The advent of the R18 certificate has allowed slightly more hardcore videos to be sold in licensed sex shops such as those in Soho. However, all videos sold legally in the United Kingdom must be passed by the BBFC, and this has restricted the amount of graphic sex that can be depicted, even under the new R18 rating. The UK porn industry is estimated to be now worth about 1 billion pounds, compared with 20 billion pounds worldwide.

http://www.artandpopularculture.com/European_pornography

Statement: This could play a huge part in the production due to the crude humor in the production as well as direction of just how much clothing is to be worn by the actress "Vicki".

European Union created in 1982 to better health care and to gain knowledge of the health and disease rate etc in other countries:

an economic and political union of 27 member states, located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community. With almost 500 million citizens, the EU combined generates an estimated 30% share (US$18.4 trillion in 2008) of the nominal gross world product.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union

Statement: Although this is something of no involvement of the show it helps to know the outlook or timeline of events that went on in the time that the production was written.

Hairstyles of the 1980's:

Hair in the 1980s was generally bouffant and heavily styled. This was in contrast to the long, straight, natural styles worn in the 1970s. Curly hair was all the rage - those who were not naturally endowed with curls could go to the hairdresser and get a permanent wave, or perm. Some people spent a great amount of time taming their hair into the latest style, with the help of styling products like mousse and hairspray.

http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-189_t-509_c-1888/fashion-in-the-1980s/nsw/history/australia-s-social-and-cultural-history-in-post-war-period/social-and-cultural-features-of-the-1980s

Statement: This to me is very helpful to the make-up designer of how she wants her actors/actresses to look for the show to set the play in the correct time setting.

Princess Diana:

In 1981, Prince Charles of Wales married Diana Spencer, a young English nanny. Throughout the 1980s, Diana was transformed from a shy princess into a fashion icon - closely followed by the press and frequently appearing on the covers of women's magazines. All over the world, women copied Diana's ever-changing clothing and hair styles. In the 1980s, Diana often wore lace collars, blazers, pearl necklaces and hats.

http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-189_t-509_c-1888/fashion-in-the-1980s/nsw/history/australia-s-social-and-cultural-history-in-post-war-period/social-and-cultural-features-of-the-1980s

Statement: This has not involvement whatsoever to the show but, is also a good outlook for a costume designer when it comes to researching for clothing of that era.

Micro View:

Weston-Super-Mare:


is a seaside resort town and civil parish in North Somerset, part of the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, 18 miles (29 km) south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. It includes the suburbs of Oldmixon, West Wick and Worle.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weston-super-Mare

Statement: I feel this would be a good insight for a set designer on ideas for a set







Grand Theatre:

Work began on building the pier on 7 November 1903, with P. Munroe acting as engineer, and it opened on 11 June 1904. At the pier's end was a 2,000 seat theatre which was used as a music hall and for opera, stage plays and ballet. On 16 May 1907 an extension of the pier measuring 500 yards (1,500 ft) was opened, with the intention that the pier would be used as a docking point for boats to Cardiff. The dangerous currents in the bay made this too difficult, however, and the extension was demolished.

The theatre at the pier's end was destroyed by fire on 13 January 1930. As the building was underinsured the pier was put up for sale and bought by Leonard Guy, who opened a £60,000 new pavilion three years later. This second pavilion housed a large undercover funfair rather than a theatre.

Mr. Guy sold the pier in 1946 to Mr. A Brenner, who went on to improve the pier's facilities, adding new shops and an amusement arcade to the pavilion in the early 1970s. As a result of the extra investment, the pier became a Grade II listed building in 1974. It won the National Piers Society Pier of the Year award in 2001.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Pier,_Weston-super-Mare

Statement: This gives a great idea of just what the Theatre would look like setting wise and also be an added help in set design.







Goole:

town, unitary authority of East Riding of Yorkshire, historic county of Yorkshire, England. Situated at the confluence of the Rivers Don and Ouse, it is the most westerly port of the Humber estuary and the eastern terminus of the Aire and Calder navigation system. Although Goole is in the present unitary authority of East Riding of Yorkshire, it is part of the West Riding division of the historic county. The port, located about 47 miles (75 km) from the open sea, can accommodate only small vessels, but its trade is varied because it serves a rich agricultural hinterland and the industrial areas of South and West Yorkshire. The port, shipping, and transport are major sources of employment. Other industries include food processing and the manufacture of fertilizers


http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/238864/Goole

Statement: I believe this will help the set designer also in knowing the setting of the area taking place and where the location of the town is to try to show differences from town before.





Stockton-on-Tees:

Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in North East England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority area and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including Billingham, Yarm and Thornaby. The combined size of the borough equates to approx 180,000 people and makes it larger than Middlesbrough in terms of population and square miles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockton-on-Tees

Statement: This would help in the set designer on location and also give an understanding of the distance that and strain that the actors have came in order to do the show.






Fashion Style in the 1980's:

Punk took off as a mainstream fashion trend in the mid-70s. It was given this high profile by English designer, Vivienne Westwood and the ambassadors of punk - The Sex Pistols. Their unique look was largely created by Westwood - it utilised zips, rips, chains, bondage, porn and slogans. The fashion tapped into anti-establishment feelings of the time with The Sex Pistols' music (God Save the Queen/The Fascist Regime/She aint no human being) and general punk motifs featuring Queen Elizabeth II.

One important point to remember - most aspects of punk had been around much earlier than The Sex Pistols. Punk's musical influences can be traced back decades through bands such as The Who, The Rolling Stones and even Elvis. However, as a mainstream fashion trend - the one most people equate with punk - it started in the UK in 1976 and lasted for around two years. The full-blown fashion didn't find such strong acceptance elsewhere in the world, but it was common to see small pockets of UK-style punks in larger cities.


http://www.eightyeightynine.com/culture/80s-punk-hair.html

Statement: This would help the costume designer as well as make-up in ideas of styles of dress in the 1980's.







Music in and around the area of 1982:


January 20 – Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a live bat thrown at him during a performance.
April 7 - Bucks Fizz achieve their 3rd No.1 single in less than 12 months.
April 26 – Rod Stewart is mugged in Los Angeles, California. Stewart loses his $50,000 Porsche to the mugger, but was not hurt.
May 5 - "A Little Peace" becomes the 500th UK No.1 single.
May 26 – The Rolling Stones open their European tour in Aberdeen, Scotland.
August 28 - Eric Burdon gets arrested after a show at the Rockpalast in Cologne
September 22 – The Who begin their only formally-announced "farewell" tour in Washington, D.C.
November 5 – First broadcast of The Tube was shown on Channel 4 in the UK.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_in_British_music

Statement: This would be a great help to gain ideas of just the type of music or style of music that people listened to in 1982.







Cost of living in 1982:


Cost of Living 1982How Much things cost in 1982Yearly Inflation Rate USA6.16 % Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 1046 Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve 11.50% Average Cost of new house $82,200.00 Average Income per year $21,050.00 Average Monthly Rent $320.00 Cost of a gallon of Gas 91 cents New Car Average price $7,983.00 US Postage Stamp 20 cents Vic 20 $299.95 Satellite Receiver $245.95 Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Stirling Average House Price 23,644 Gallon of Petrol 1.59 Yearly Inflation Rate UK 8.6% Interest Rates Year End Bank of England 10.00%.

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1982.html

Statement: This is a good way and example to show and give an idea of just how much money was available to someone in 1982. I believe this would help in greatly on a characters perspective.






Technology in 1982:

1982 New technology continues to change our buying habits with smaller and cheaper electronic gadgets appearing including the first CD player and a new industry is just beginning with the use of Genetic Engineering human insulin produced by bacteria is sold for the first time. On the world stage Argentina invades the Falkland Islands and Argentina and the UK go to war over a small island thousands of miles away. After many reports of Whales becoming and endangered species the International Whaling Commission decides to end commercial whaling, and a major recession hits the United States.

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1982.html

Statement: This gives a better understanding of the technological advances that were made in 1982 which I think would be helpful to any designer.






Popular TV and Movies:


Popular Films :

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Rocky III,
On Golden Pond
Porky's
An Officer and a Gentleman
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Poltergeist
Annie
Chariots of Fire
Gandhi

Popular TV Programs:

Magnum, P.I.
The Other Arf (UK)
Dynasty
Falcon Crest
Hill Street Blues
Only Fools and Horses (UK)
Knight Rider

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1982.html

Statement: This gives a greater outlook for the actors to understand the characters and perhaps some of the dialogue that is mentioned in the play.






Popular Culture in 1982:

Smileys 1982 was the year a computer scientist ( Scott Fahlman ) from Carnegie Mellon University first suggested the use of Smiley or emoticon as a way of expressing emotion in an email :-)Freeware first used by Andrew Flueleman and Jim Knopf to distribute their application which allowed programs to be copied, in 1984 the distribution of this type of software changed from freeware to Shareware ( name thought up by Bob Wallace )
Michael Jackson releases his second adult solo album, Thriller.
Graceland the home of Elvis Presley opens to the public
The screen legend Grace Kelly / Princess Grace of Monaco dies in car crash

Statement: This again gives a better outlook at the times that and more of an age reference to what was going on in 1982. This also would be beneficial towards character building.