GENSLER THEATRE PROJECT
Brief:
To design two separate sets for a theatre adaptation of the movie 'Pan's Labyrinth' as well as hospitality design for the supporting spaces including reception, box office, and bar/cafe area at Northern Stage Theatre.
Concept:
The story is set in a world with two distinct realms - the real (up) and the fantasy (down). The line between these two worlds are blurred and the labyrinth is seen as the connecting bridge between them.
The moon is an important element in the story. As the middle ground between the sun's light and the night's darkness, it represents the realm between the conscious and the unconscious. The concept of the moon - such as mysticism, illumination, and cycle (eclipse, shadow, appear/disappear) - becomes the inspiration of the stage design.
The resulting stage is a simple yet flexible structure with two levels and a LED screen. Hydraulic platforms can transform the stage while lights are used to convey a sense of mysticism. The settings and objects are implied, not literal, so that audience can fill in the visual blanks with their own interpretation/imagination.
