Clever Use of Space
As I mentioned earlier, the small upstairs space at Victory Gardens can create a challenge – especially for a piece that covers such a wide range of years and countries. However, the intimacy worked to the play’s advantage, and the design team, helmed by Green, used the space to their advantage.
Scenic Designer Yu Shibagaki turned the stage into a waiting room that could be used in each of the five countries featured in the story. On the columns and walls was graffiti with the location and year, such as “Rwanda 2005,” “Bosnia 1996,” or “Zimbabwe 2007.” The small, intimate space proved perfect for this story. debbie tucker green creates scenes depicting relationships within these waiting rooms following each devastating conflict. For example, the first scene took place in South Africa in 1998, showcasing a family of four – a son, a daughter, a mother, and a grandmother. The family is waiting for a solider to tell them where to go amidst the backdrop of the apartheid, and the close proximity between the audience and the events unfolding on stage almost made it feel as if we were intruding on these private moments.
The script jumps around between locations and year without any true order, and with the help of Lighting Designer Jared Gooding, a spot light would highlight the location and year on the wall as the next scene began, helping carry the audience along between moments.
