Silver Performing Arts, Stage, Style and Scenery Design · 2020
Absinthe Production Design
by Vivian Lu
- A' Design Award 2020 Silver Winner in Performing Arts, Stage, Style and Scenery Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Vivian Lu Design Studio Limited
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 78,145
- Verification code FCF0FD45C6 · Verify this award
About Absinthe Production Design
Absinthe is a stage design created for a theatrical play about physics, matter and psychology. The set is built around an oval stage that represents time and can also be read as a galaxy or a continuous loop. Dark reflective panels covered with splattered paint suggest a vast and mysterious universe. A custom laser light sound visualiser allows sound to be seen, because the laser beams are distorted by the frequency of the voices of the actors. Every angle of the stage was tested so the performers could walk, run and jump safely.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Vivian introduced the technology of laser light sound visualiser to magnify senses in the whole theatrical experiences, and allowed sound to be seen. She custom-made different laser light gadgets and experiments with different materials to find the best one to be used on stage. Every angle of the middle circular stage was carefully designed and the inclusion of technology brought a whole new blend of artistic richness in theatre. The beauty of the design is the limitless interpretation of the set according to their understanding of the play. The oval stage represents time, but can be seen as the milky way, Möbius band etc.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Vivian experimented with different forms of custom-made sound laser visualiser to best utilise actors on stage
- Tags
- Scenography, Stage Design, merging physics and set design
- Production Technology
- The project required a lot of research and experimentation, especially experimenting with the laser light sound visualizer, making sure the visuals created from different sound frequencies went hand in hand with the general set design. A lot of prior research also had to be done on the subject matter or physics, black holes and relativity, to create a stage that portrayed elements of these subjects, to allow audiences to quickly connect and be immersed into the show as it was a play that discussed quite complex subjects. For the staging and material we chose dark reflective panels to create the effect of this vast yet mysterious universe, also covering it with splattered paint to symbolise the milky galaxy. This and stage received great feedback, and special mentions on review platforms highlighted and praised the stage design and effects, and how it truly immersed people into the story.
- Design Challenge
- On the initial design part, there are a lot of discussions on how to tactic a complex play, where many deep subjects were discussed and visually portray it all in a manner that guided the audience into the topics and be immersed into the world. Technically during production the curvature of the oval shape had to be very exact, as we wanted to visually make it look really smooth when we detach it to different shapes. The kinds of wheels were also a very big technical challenge as the different points of attaching the wheels made a huge difference on the stage's mobility.
- Project Duration
- The show was first showcased in Beijing in 2019 then toured around in Shenzhen and Shanghai in 2020.
- Operation Flow
- Through the sound vibrations spoken from the actors, laser lights were distorted based on the frequency of spoken sound. The visuals that came out from the actors and actress voice varies drastically due to the pitch of their specific voice.. The actors rehearsed for months with the devices to create a specific imagery to go with the set design.
- Research
- Every angle of the main stage was experimented with consideration of the feasibility on how actor’s move on set. We experimented with different inclination of the set and prior to the performance, we trained actors to walk, run and jump at different angles we have on the circular stage to avoid stage accidents. The whole stage was built with extensive technological difficulties and precision because we had to find the balance of designing it to achieve desired artistic visual but also take intensive examination that structurally it is strong enough withstand immense weight.
- Inspiration
- Absinthe was a project that has given Vivian a chance to explore potential visuals merging physics and scenography. It was a play that explored topics on physics, matter and psychology. She wanted to experiment with different ways to unearth a new power to enhance audiences sense in the whole theatrical experiences. Vivian wanted to find new ways to capture audience’s imagination and to see how to create different relationship with time.
Colors of Absinthe Production Design
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Design Interview about Absinthe Production Design
Absinthe was a project that gave me a chance to explore the potential visuals created by merging physics and scenography. This was a play that explored topics on physics, matter, and psychology.
During the initial design stage, there were a lot of discussions on how to tackle such a complex play, where deep subjects were discussed, so it was important to have the set visually portray the topics in a manner that guided the audience into the discussions and immerse them into a new world. Therefore, my main aim was to experiment with different methods that enhanced audiences' senses within their theatrical experience, and find new ways to capture their imagination and make them think more deeply about their relationships with time.
During the initial design stage, there were a lot of discussions on how to tackle such a complex play, where deep subjects were discussed, so it was important to have the set visually portray the topics in a manner that guided the audience into the discussions and immerse them into a new world. Therefore, my main aim was to experiment with different methods that enhanced audiences' senses within their theatrical experience, and find new ways to capture their imagination and make them think more deeply about their relationships with time.
With Absinthe, I tried to merge different forms of senses together (sound and sight) and to magnify them to create a lasting visceral experiences for the audience.
Collaborating with the director, we tried intently to create a new form of storytelling by incorporating digital medias and different forms of art performance together as we strongly believe that immersive technologies have unearthed a power to enhance our senses in theatre.
Collaborating with the director, we tried intently to create a new form of storytelling by incorporating digital medias and different forms of art performance together as we strongly believe that immersive technologies have unearthed a power to enhance our senses in theatre.
We are hoping to bring this to further touring destination in 2021.
It was an ongoing experimental process until we had to move our rehearsal to stage. We continued to experimental on set with the laser light until the opening of the show.
I was invited to design for this stage play.
I do not intend to sell the production right.
As a stage designer, I am always passionate about how I can create stronger connections between audiences and my set design, and have been attempting to bring new technology and innovation in traditional theatre for the last few years of my practise. Whilst I love the traditional stage, I believe that technology is an important medium to utilise, it can transcend and elevate a stage to become more immersive, and get a wider audience to be interested and pay attention to theatre.
It was the name of the stage play
AutoCAD, modelling, sketching
The beauty of this set design is the limitless interpretation of the stage according to an audience's understanding of the play. The oval stage represents time, but can be seen as the milky way, Möbius band etc by different audiences.
Through my various initial experimentation, I decided to introduce the technology of laser light sound visualizer to the set to allow the audiences' senses to be magnified within the whole theatrical experience, and allowing sound to be "seen". Through the sound vibrations created from the actors delivering their lines, laser lights were distorted based on the frequency of spoken sound. The visuals created from the actors and actress voice varied drastically according to the pitch of their voice. To perfect the visual imagery showcased on stage, actors rehearsed for months with the custom made devices to create specific visuals to go with the set design.
Through my various initial experimentation, I decided to introduce the technology of laser light sound visualizer to the set to allow the audiences' senses to be magnified within the whole theatrical experience, and allowing sound to be "seen". Through the sound vibrations created from the actors delivering their lines, laser lights were distorted based on the frequency of spoken sound. The visuals created from the actors and actress voice varied drastically according to the pitch of their voice. To perfect the visual imagery showcased on stage, actors rehearsed for months with the custom made devices to create specific visuals to go with the set design.
I collaborated with the director and eventually came up with this concept.
Technology acted as a medium to help us visually see sound and to enhance our other senses in the theatre.
This project required a lot of research and experimentation, especially experimenting with the laser light sound visualizer, making sure the visuals created from different sound frequencies went hand in hand with the general set design. A lot of prior research also had to be done on the subject matter or physics, black holes and relativity, to create a stage that portrayed elements of these subjects, and allow audiences to quickly connect and be immersed into the show that discussed complex subjects. For the staging and material we chose dark reflective panels to create the effect of this vast yet mysterious universe, and covered it with splattered paint to symbolise the milky galaxy, creating a beautiful looking stage.
On a technical side, the production had to overcome a lot of technical difficulties; the curvature of the main stage oval shape had to be exact as they had during set changes, they were separated to create different scenes. The wheels were proved to be a technical challenge as the points of attaching the wheels made a huge difference on the stage's mobility. A lot of consideration was placed on the feasibility of how the actors moved on set. We experimented with different inclinations of the set and before the performance, we trained actors to walk, run and jump at different angles on the circular stage to avoid accidents. The whole stage was built overcoming technical difficulties and required a lot of precision, and we had to find the balance of achieving the desired artistic visual but ensure the structural safety of the stage.
I wanted to showcase this project to a wider audience group even when its not on tour.
This was the first time where I explored different fields of subject ie. Physics into my set design
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