Stags and Hens

[DSA]

Hi,

 

Has anyone done/seen Stags and Hens' by Willy Russell before?

 

They want to do it in my hall in February, with me assisting on the Technical Side.

 

What sort of lighting is required? Much sound wise?

 

Thanks,

David

[PDD]

Hi,

Has anyone done/seen Stags and Hens' by Willy Russell before?

They want to do it in my hall in February, with me assisting on the Technical Side.

What sort of lighting is required?  Much sound wise?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

If I remember rightly, the set is the toilets in a club, as such the lighting was quite naturalistic. You could even hang some florries if you wanted to be ultra real. There was a door back into the club from the toilets, and I think the script called for a hint of the club lighting visible through the door when it was opened. Obviously the sound likewise, although pretty much only the muddy bass noise supposedly from the club and some opening music. It got tedious to have the music in the background all the way through so I vaguely remember just using the effect when they were out in the toilet lobby. It was a while back I did it.

 

Hope this helps.

[DSA]

You could even hang some florries if you wanted to be ultra real.

Sorry thats a term I haven't come accross before...! (and it doesn't seem to be in the Sheppard Glossary)

 

David

[peternewman]

You could even hang some florries if you wanted to be ultra real.

Sorry thats a term I haven't come across before...! (and it doesn't seem to be in the Sheppard Glossary)

 

David

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fluorescent Tubes

[DSA]

Fluorescent Tubes

Ah of course!

 

I now need to work out how to rig the lights on a budget...

 

David

 

EDIT: This post previously contained a comment where I discussed using a truss structure, also forming a 'pros arch' to make the 'Dining Hall' more like a theatre. With this information, Gareth's post should make some sense.

 

Sorry, hands up, I wasn't really thinking when I edited that post. In hindsight an EDIT line would have been more appropriate, or perhaps I should have just thought the idea through a bit more first.... a lesson learnt.

[gareth]

The reason I am possibly thinking along the truss line is that it could also act as a 'pros arch' - therefore helping to transform the room towards a theatre.

Do you really need to do that? Theatre doesn't have to be behind a pros arch - some of the best plays I've ever worked on have been done end-stage, thrust, two-sided, etc.

[DSA]

Do you really need to do that? Theatre doesn't have to be behind a pros arch - some of the best plays I've ever worked on have been done end-stage, thrust, two-sided, etc.

No I agree. Hence that quote is no longer in my post above! (Also the cost is rather prohibotive)...

 

Instead will probably go for 4 lighting stands with some Pars, Fresnels and Source 4s.

 

However, as I don't actually have a figure for the budget yet, I will have to keep thinking!

 

David

 

Moderators' note : although it's too late on this particular occasion, would people please NOT edit posts which have already been quoted and replied to by other users - it makes the flow of the topic nonsensical and leaves replies to non-existant comments. If you've posted it, it's there, and that's that. Don't remove it if someone's already replied to it.

[DSA]

Right we have decided to get 6 Source 4 Zooms, and 8 1kW Selecon Fresnels - but I need some help with gelling please!

 

Lee 102 was suggested for the fresnels with the S4s being left 'open'. Would that work for a naturalistic look? Perhaps a light straw in the profiles to take the edge off?

 

Any help most appreciated!

 

Thanks,

David

[Jamtastic3]

You might want to use a colder wash depending on what kinda of mood its to be in. You could try creating a cold light maybe using something like steel blue or lighter together with the strip lights??

If your going for say straws, that might be good to create a kind of dull, sickly, old man's pub toilet.

[audio]

You might want to use a colder wash depending on what kinda of mood its to be in.  You could try creating a cold light maybe using something like steel blue or lighter together with the strip lights??

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

We are in the final rehearsal stage of the above mentioned play, and I have designed it around two lighting states, one for the boys and one for the girls, so there is an obvious change between the two groups. Just set this up with the key light coming from different places, and it seems to be working ok.

 

Sound wise, I have quiet club music all the way through, really just a bit of a bass beat so quiet you feel it rather than hear it, and then it is bumped up for a few seconds when the club 'door' is opened.

 

Quite basic really, but all that is required.

HTH

John

[Jamtastic3]

Ah liking the idea of the the girls and boys seperate states, a bit of an obvious choice of design thinking I spose.

You'll need to get pics onto the forum so that we can see what the set and lights look like!?

[techwsussex]

Did this a few years back at Hull Truck. Things that stick out are:

 

The taps have to work or be hidden. Ours were powered by a weed killer spray unit in the sink unit and a bucket under the sink. As the ASM it was great fun.

 

The toilets have to flush several times. We had a couple of BOSE 101s in the bowls, which fit remarkably well.

 

One toilet has to be thrown up in, two blokes drag 'dave' into the cubicle and remerge with vomit down one trouser leg. For this I found that chopped veg in rice pudding was effective, and washes out of the trousers well.

 

The male toilets have to have a working window that two people escape through at the end of the night. we had a real frame, and a piece of black hardboard held in with velcro. I stood behind the flat all the way through to help the actors through the window. WEAR STEEL TOE CAPS!

 

Lighting wise, almost complete downlight works nicely in 202, but make sure that downstage is also lit at a fairly nice angle for the mirror shots. Domestic fittings do make a nice touch.

 

Sound, the club is always in the background, and works well if only the bass and mid-range EQ is present except when people walk through from the club, when the top end can make it seem like a door has opened.

 

A chase from the club area makes a nice disco-ie touch and ropelight is good for crappy northern night club signage.

 

Can't think of any other problems, but let me know if you think of some, as we probably got round them.

 

Owen Jones

Lakeside Theatre, Colchester

ASM Stags and Hens 1999

 

edit:

Just realised some of the stuff about sound has already been said...

 

Whoops!

 

Moderation note: Could members please try to append comments like this as an edit note, rather than as a full post. I appreciate this is almost the opposite of the moderation note above, but in this case two posts were made in quick succession.

[Shaun Foster]

I worked on this show about a year ago as an alevel drama performance. It was done with 2 toilet cubicles upstage with a row of 2 sinks in fromt. Lighting states were split U/S/L for the boys toilet and U/S/R for the girls (lighting half the set each) and then a strip downstage for the corridor scene.

[audio]

Ah liking the idea of the the girls and boys seperate states, a bit of an obvious choice of design thinking  I spose.

You'll need to get pics onto the forum so that we can see what the set and lights look like!?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Just a quick reply, trying not to stray to :) , I tried picture taking yesterday...... and it failed dismally. Even with the flash off on my digital camera, it looks really dark and moody, which is quite the opposite to the lighting states I have designed......