1

80 minutes, No Interval Written By Travis Cotton

Directed by Phil Miolin

A Process Guide to the set design by Alistair Kennedy

2

3

80 Minutes, No Interval

was a Hayman Theatre major production performed in September of 2015. As a

third year student who was enamoured throughout his degree by all the

unique aspects that go into creating a show, I have a particular love for

creating the world with which the actors perform in. This interest has been

nurtured through assistant design positions throughout my degree, but in

third year I was given the option of being the designer of 80 Minutes, No

Interval. This was an excellent opportunity to for me to bring to the table

what I had learnt at Curtin University over the last two and a half years

The Script is a technical script, there is no question about that. The play

is incredibly self-referential to not only the nature of theatre, it’s

classical and modern day interpretations and audience expectations, but

also places a heavy focus on the technicalities of the play.

For example there are multiple scenes in different locations, a massive

cast, and stage directions that at first seem impossible to do. This was an

excellent opportunity for a major to have a large tech team that was fully

utilised, and provided us with the creative challenge that would broaden

our potential as theatre makers.

Before we begin, I would like to give special thanks to Assistant Designer

George Ashforth, for his invaluable aid in helping create the set for 80

Minutes. Without his help, this project would have been doubled in

difficulty.

4

Technicalities of 80 Minutes

The play required multiple scene changes that transition to different

locations. As well as the scene changes, we needed to create as many

technical elements from the character Clair’s monologue (pg 40 of the

script, 41:50 seconds of the recording) as possible. This was necessary so

that she could literally refer to the technicalities in the play. The major

concern was the prison scene, were the main character Louis spends 20 plus

years in prison for (spoiler alert!) murdering a certain publisher in the

play. Why this scene was difficult was because in the script, it states

that the “walls move in slowly towards Louis”.

There were also a number of other elements required in the play that I had

little to no involvement in, but feel the need to briefly list as they

complement the set and the play. These Elements were:

Audio Visual projections that would move across the set when a scene

changed, to strongly place the next scene in the audiences mind. A

number of Special Effects were used in the show as well, such as an

8metre petal drop on the stage, as well as three other paper drops,

used in the final scene. Also part of SFX was the use of two gruesome

prosthetics. One was created for the (spoiler alert!) publisher, which

is an eye ball made to resemble one that has been ripped out of its

socket by a pen, and the other was used in the last scene, which is

(spoiler alert…) a pane of Perspex cut to resemble a broken pane of

glass that is made to look like it has pierced the chest of a certain

florist in the show.

5

Solving These Issues.

This list of Technical challenges both solved and inspired my design, which

was born out of my initial ideas for accommodating these considerations in

the set. It most definitely evolved further to resemble its final product

because of the consistent dialogue between myself, Karen Kook (Production

manager and Lighting Designer) and Phil Miolin (Director).

I thought of a three metre revolve to solve the issues of the scene

transitions and changes, and then a number of two point eight metre high

scrims to create a backstage area for the other actors to operate the

revolve and dress the next scene behind the action that would be happening

up stage. The reason for the use of the Scrim, as opposed to flats, is

because it allowed us the opportunity to experiment with stylistic

silhouettes (another theatrical device) as well as give colour a strong

voice in this show. The biggest reason, however, was the fact that the

scrim was hinged, meaning that it could be manipulated, moved backwards as

well as forwards. This was particularly important for the prison scene,

were, as I stated before, the walls needed to move inwards (to represent

the passage of time, as well as a diminishing of hope in Louis). These

choices were not stage directions in the script, but rather my own sense of

aesthetics. In my personal opinion it is essential that the designer bring

something unique to the table in terms of dressing a show.

6

My final design consisted of seven scrims that lined the stage roughly two

metres from the down stage wall (aside from the three central panels,

located in the middle of the Revolve and therefore existing at one and a

half metres from the downstage wall). On the pages that follow, I will go

through the separate components that make up the entire set, starting from

the finalised product and breaking it down into Its separate components.

7

The Finished

Product

As you can see, this

is the finalised

design and the

actualised set. The

only difference

between the two is

that the rostrum

that hugs the

Revolve in front is

not as big as the

initial design. It

was reduced by half

a metre to allow for

more playing space

on the actual stage.

Otherwise, the

finished product

turned out almost

exactly how I drew

it.

8

The

Mutability of

the set:

These are the three distinct set changes that occur in the play. They range in

chronological order, from left to right. The first image is the first scene of the

play, where Louis proposes in a restaurant. The second is the end of the Prison Scene,

where the walls are have moved in to encase Louis on the small stage,and the third is

the flower shop scene, the final scene of the show and my favourite.

9

THE SCREENS:

THE SCREENS/SCRIM OF IN THE SET WERE ALL (EXCEPT THE CENTRAL SCREENS,

WHICH WERE 2.5M TALL)2.8M TALL, LEAVING A 2FT GAP BETWEEN THE CEILING

AND THE TOP OF ECH SCREEN. THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT IS MY INITIAL

DESIGN, WHICH WAS TO CREATE MORE OF A BOX SHAPED SCREEN ON WHEELS,

FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE EASIER TO MOVE. MIOLIN REJECTED THIS

IDEA, AND I ACCOMADATED HIM, CREATING A SIMPLER, LESS COPLICATED

SCREEN (SEEN IN THE DESIGN ON THE RIGHT). KAREN COOK SUGGESTED THE

SCREEN BE MADE OF TWO FRAMES OF THE SAME SIZE, SO THAT FABRIC COULD

BE STRECTCHED BETWEEN THEM, WITHOUT SHOWING THE MESSINESS OF STAPLES.

10

FABRIC:

WE EXPERIMENTED WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FABRICS (USED TO

CONSTRUCT A SCRIM), AND THE FABRIC THAT WAS MOST SUITABLE ENDED

UP BEING THE CHEAPEST ONE AVAILABLE AT SPOTLIGHT, WHICH WAS VERY

LUCKY. THE FABRIC IS CALLED COTTON POPLIN.

11

12

FRAMES:

THE FRAMES WERE MADE OUT

OF YELLOW PINE FROM

BUNNINGS. EACH FRAME

CONSISTED OF TWO SEPARATE

FRAMES THAT WOULD BE

SCREWED TOGETHER.

THE OUTER FRAMES WHERE

HINGED TO THE FRAMES THAT

DIRECTLY RAN ALONSIDE THE

REVOLVE, WITH A COMMON

HINGE (AS SEEN IN THE

PICTURE). THIS HINGE ONLY

MOVES IN ONE DIRECTION.

THE BIGGER FRAMES WERE

EACH HINGED TO A CENTRAL

SUPPORT COLUMN THAT RAN

PERPENDICULAR FROM THE

EDGE OF THE REVOLVE.

THESE HINGES WERE DOUBLE

SIDED, AND COULD SWING

BOTH WAYS, ALLOWING US TO

EFFECTIVELY “OPEN” THE

STAGE FOR THE END SCENE

BY FOLDING AND

COMPRESSING THE SCREENS

INWARDS, UP STAGE (REFER

TO IMAGE ON PG 2).

13

THE FINISHED SCREENS,

BOTH LOOSE AND IN THE

FINAL POSISTIONS

14

FABRIC BEING INSTALLED AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL SUPPORT COLOMN USED.

THE FABIC WAS STRETCHED THEN STAPLED ACROSS THE FRAMES BEFORETHEY WERE PUT

TOGETHER. THE SUPPORT COLUMNS USED WERE FOUND IN THE WORKSHOP AND WERE ABLE TO

BE RECYCLED (REFER TO IMAGE ON THE RIGHT)

15

HERE IS A COLLECTION OF 9 IMAGES, SEQUENCING THE SCREENS MUTABILITY. THE SHOTS TAKEN ARE FROM THE END OF ACT

ONE (WERE –SPOILER ALERT AGAIN- A CERTAIN PUBLISHER IS ACCIDENTALLY MURDERED) INTO THE END OF ACT TWO

(WERE LOUIS GOES TO A PRISON)

16

17

THE FINAL POSITION IS WITH LOUISE ENCLOSED WITHIN A NEW ROOM CREATED BY THE SCRIM/SCREENS.

THIS IS THE END SCENE,

WERE THE SCREENS ARE

COMPLETELY FLIPPED BACK TO

REVEAL THE ENTIRETY OF THE

STAGE.

18

THE REVOLVE:

BUILT BY IAN STEWART, THE REVOLVE WAS DESIGNED TO BE

3METRES IN DIAMETRE. IT IS A SIMPLE DEVICE, MADE

FROM CHIP BOARD, AND SITS 30CM FROM THE GROUND. THIS

IS THE REASON WHY THE THREE CENTRAL SCREENS THAT RUN

DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE REVOLVE (EFFECTIVELY HALVING

IT) ARE 2.5METRES TALL, SO THAT ALL THE SCREENS

COFORTABLY REST AT 2.8 METRES.

19

THE REVOLVE WAS COVERED IN A MATERIAL CALLED

LAMINAE, WHICH IS A TYPE OF MOCK FLOOR

BOARDING USED IN BUDGET HOME RENOVATIONS. THE

DECISION FOR USING FLOOR BOARDS RATHER THAN

PAINTING THE REVOLVE IS BECAUSE IT CAME TO

AROUND ABOUT THE SAME PRICE AND IT WAS LESS

EFFORT TO PUT TOGETHER, FOR A BETTER FINISHED

PRODUCT THAT ALSO MATCHED THE AESTHETIC OF

THE PINE FRAMES, WHICH WERE UN PAINTED.

20

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE REVOLVE IN USE

21

THE APRON/ THE REVOLVE ROSTRUM:

THE REVOLVE NEEDED A ROSTRUM THAT IT CONNECTED TO, TO HELP CONCEAL HOW IT WAS USED

BUT MAINLY TO PROVIDE MORE PLAYING SPACE FOR THE ACTORS ON THE REVOLVE. THE

ROSTRUM EXTENEDED 1METER OUT FROM THE REVOLVE.

22

APRON BEING CUT BY IAN STEWART.

23

PAINTING:

I CHOSE PALE COLOURS FOR THE WALLS AND FLOOR OF THE THEATRE, TO COMPLIMENT THE

AESTHETIC OF THE VARNISHED PINE FRAMES AND THE WHITE SCREENS/SCRIMS. I CHOSE

ARCTIC GREY, A TYPE OF OFF-WHITE TO PAINT THE THEATRE WITH, BUT PHIL MIOLIN

SUGGESTED A DARKER SHADE BE ADDED TO BREAK UP THE STARNESS OF THE PALE GREY

USED. WE CHOSE “CHATEU STONE”, WHICH IS A SHADE DARKER THAN ARCTIC GREY, AND

THIS COMPLIMENTED PERFECTLY.

THE FLOOR I DIDN’T WANT TO PAINT JUST WHITE. I HAD BEEN AN ASSITANT DESIGNER ON

RUBEN GUTHRY IN 2014, AND HAD LEARNT FROM DESIGNER LAUREN ROSS HOW TO TEXTURE A

FLOOR TO LOOK LIKE CONCRETE.

IT’S A SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE TECHNEQUE:

1. PUT YOUR BASE COAT DOWN. IT SHOULD BE A SHADE LIGHTER THAN THECONCRETE FINISH THAT YOU

WANT.

2. GRAB AN OLD MOP AND BUCKET, AND PUT AN APPRORIATE AMOUNT OF WATER IN. I FOUND THAT I

DIDN’T NEED A LOT, ABOUT HALF A BUCKET FOR THE WHOLE STAGE.

3. MIX INTO THE WATER COLOUR FROM THE BASE COAT, AND THEN ADD A TOUCH (JUST A SMIGGEN) OF

BLACK PAINT IF YOU WANT A DARK GREY CONCRETE EFFECT. I WANTED A PALE CONCRETE TEXTURE,

SO AFTER TRIALING DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF BLACK PAINT IN THE MIX, I SETTLED ON JUST USING

ARCTIC GREY IN THE WATER SOLUTION. THE EFFECT STILL CAME OUT BUT DIDN’T DOMINATE THE

SPACE, WHICH IS WHAT I WANTED.

4. APPLY LIBERALLY ONCE TRIALING HAS BEEN DONE. MAKE IT LOOK MESSY, OCCAISONALLY SPONGE THE

MOP HEAD INTO THE GROUND INSTEAD OF JUST MOPPING IT ON.

5. WARNING: DO NOT PRESS ON THE MOP TOO HARD, AS IT CAN SCRATCH THE FLOOR, REVEALING THE

BLACK OF THE THEATRE FLOOR.

6. ALWAYS TEST AND USE YOUR OWN JUDGEMENT.

24

25

The textured floor can be seen in this picture, as well as the colours of the wall.

26

FLOWER

ARRANGEMENTS

FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS

WERE A BIG PART OF

THE SET, AS THE

FINAL SCENE IS IN A

FLORSIT’S SHOP. WE

BOUGHT A RIDICULOUS

AMOUNT OF FAKE

FLOWERS FOR THIS

SCENE, AND HAD A

NUMBER OF FUN

WORKSHOPS ARRANGING

THEM INTO FLORAL

ARRANGEMENTS.

I CHOSE BRIGHT

COLOURS SO THAT THEY

WOULD POP OUT FROM

THE PALENESS OF THE

SET.

27

ASHFORTH AND I

REPURPOSED A

DISUSED ADHOC CART

THAT WAS IN THE

THEATRE TO MAKE A

FLOWER CART FOR

THE FLORISTS

SCENE, AT THE END

OF THE PLAY.

28

ANOTHER FINAL TOUCH TO THE SHOW, WAS THAT THERE WHERE

TWO BUCKETS WHICH DECENDED DOWN FROM THE CEILING IN

THE FINAL SCENE. THESE BUCKETS CONTAINED FLOWERS IN

THEM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THEY UTILISED THE MUCH

NEGLECTED CEILING OF THE HAYMAN, METAPHORICALLY

“WIDENING” THE USEABILITY OF THE THEATRE THE IMAGES

ARE THE CLEETS AND HOOKS USED TO THREAD THE HOLDING

ROPE THROUGH.

29

80 minutes was a challenging, rewarding piece of work. I

discovered many things about myself, that had been growing since

first year, and utilised skills that I had obtained doing other

volunteer positions outside of Curtin University (such as

painting, which I learnt from interning at galleries). I am very

satisfied with my design, but also aware of my weak points.

These points are just small things that I need to put more time

into learning if I want to be a professional designer.

For example, I never made a model box. Even though I intended too,

it just passed me by in the production. Don’t let this happen.

Make a model box. This is the most crucial tool used to describe

to the other members of the production what the set looks like in

your mind. Because it’s a 3d form, the director and other tech

members can manipulate it. This would have saved a lot of

confusion, and I must give thanks to my director for trusting what

I said and drew, and my word that the design would work.

Another point of weakness is my construction skills, which can

accurately be described as being a beginner level. This did not

hinder the process, because I had good support from two

experienced builders, but it made it difficult for me to create

items on my own. What was good about working on this show, was

30

that my construction skills certainly improved from working with

two experience technicians.

My real strength was commitment, and my sense of aesthetics. I had

faith in my design (even though sometimes I didn’t trust my

measurements), and I knew that we just needed to keep moving

forward with constructing it. The experience I have gathered from

the Hayman Theatre and the fine art units I dabbled in over the

last three years has been invaluable, and informed my

professionally minded approach to working on any production. I

have faith in my future as a designer, and I think that if I

tighten up the skill sets that are lacking, then I will be ready

to pursue it as a career.

That sums up the production guide to 80 Minutes, No Interval. I

hope that you benefitted from the read, and if you didn’t manage

to catch the show do not fear, the internet is here. A recording

of the show is available on youtube at this link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJAwW5DSDEI&feature=youtu.be

31

Alistair Kennedy

Set designer on 80 Minutes, No interval.