Set hire/construction ideas

[magicflutebirmingham]

Hello

I am the producer of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" at the University of Birmingham, which will be put on this June. We are hoping to hire the set (rather than construct it) from a company or theatre group that has perhaps staged it.

 

Our budget is limited due to the fact that it is a university departmental production rather than a professional one, but we have some money (i.e. hundreds of pounds rather than thousands) to play around with for set, costumes and props.

 

I have already contacted various national opera groups and mostly their responses have been they do not hire out set, they have not staged it recently, or they have re-used the set for other shows.

 

There are several different scenes we need to consider for the Magic Flute. A forest scene, the exterior of a temple, a dundgeon within the temple, and also we need to simulate the characters walking through fire and water. We are thinking we could have "trees" on wheels or a truck (outside the Queen of the Night's Realm), which can be revolved to reveal the temple walls/pillars.

 

Due to health and safety regs, we are unlikely to be allowed to have actual fire and water on stage! But maybe projections or similar to avoid having to use surreal, symbolic dance with pieces of red and blue material! Although I was thinking if we hired the equipment that blows air to make leg-height material blow around, it may not look as good as it could but at least then the actors could walk in-between the "fire" and "water", producing a more 3-D effect perhaps? Or use revolving lights/spots to create the atmosphere.

 

The Director is very keen on a Tim Burton/Lemony Snickett-type image - so have the trees all crooked and eery!

 

Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

Jack Fulford

jackfulford@hotmail.com

[Ynot]

I am the producer of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" at the University of Birmingham, which will be put on this June. We are hoping to hire the set (rather than construct it) from a company or theatre group that has perhaps staged it.

 

Our budget is limited due to the fact that it is a university departmental production rather than a professional one, but we have some money (i.e. hundreds of pounds rather than thousands) to play around with for set, costumes and props.

 

I have already contacted various national opera groups and mostly their responses have been they do not hire out set, they have not staged it recently, or they have re-used the set for other shows.

Jack, hi.

 

It strikes me that with the relatively low budget you have, you might be best talking to some of the local am-dram groups in the area - in my experience am-dram stage teams are often well versed in getting great sets out of peanuts....! :)

 

As for scenery hire, you'd likely be best though talking to some of the hire groups around the country.

I have a few links on our web site's tech pages that may yield something...

 

Tony

[Jivemaster]

Economy usually revolves round re-use! can you use the same scenery with projections of fire -breakups with fire coloured gels, and trees - breakups with greens for gels, water - breakups with blue/green gels.

[Ellis]

I am trying to remember your departmental theatre (1990 was a long time ago and I only ever went in there to borrow rostra for a show in the Deb. Hall!) What height do you have? Do you have flying?

 

Paul Harris at Scenic and Property Hire in Newport may be able to help you (my experience of his sets for pantomimes in Redditch is good - and his cloths are not too heavy for hemp flying). Give him a call

 

You could also try Clifford and Brown (did I just recommend them, ouch!) but watch out - every C&B set I have worked wuth has been too big, very heavy or flattage with top-heavy extensions. They are in Nuneaton, so you could go down there and have a look at the set (take ground plans of the stage and make sure that the set they are proposing fits).

 

A quick finds Scenechange Scenic Projects Proscenium The Border Studio and many more - none of whom I have knowingly had any experience of.

 

All hire companies can put a set together from stock items - if you have flying they have more scope.

 

HTH

 

Ellis