Lady Windermere's Fan images
There's a reason Town & Gown shies away from multi-set shows: limited space backstage where we can stack scenery. This four-act play is set in three locales, though. The design is oriented toward smooth, fairly quick changes with a minimum of stuff that has to be shifted between acts.
Ironically, my simple design creates tons of backstage space in which to stack just a few pieces of furniture.
We use walls with setbacks in order to create vertical elements (on our terribly wide stage) as well as throw shadows to excite interest. Act 1 takes place in a "morning room" where Lady W receives visitors. There's one entrance upstage, no visible windows, some furniture as dictated by the script. The room has a table where she arranges flowers, a desk for Lord Windermere's business, a tea table and a settee with ottoman. Brightly lighted by sunlight. When Lady Agatha exits upstage and turns right (stage left), she reaches a roof garden.
Act 2, the drawing room act, uses the same walls, different lighting and less furniture. We add a slender column at each setback corner, so that characters can retreat from the focus when they aren't speaking. The space upstage of the entrance door is a hallway; exit and turn left to reach the ballroom, exit and turn right to reach a terrace. We may put a punchbowl in the hall. A busy act, but most of the people stand up most of the time.
In Act 3 we create Lord Darlington's sitting room, a busy space not very brightly lighted. It will have not only plenty of furniture but also a fireplace and a faux window unit (represented by closed drapes).
We get started on construction in mid-December, break for a couple of weeks, and resume. The show goes up in February.
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