Set design for 'he Long and the Short and theTall

I need to think about the play and what amount of space is required for movement. I will need to know this so that I can decide how many stage blocks to use. I will also need to know whether the actors will need the steps going up to the stage for exits/entrances. If not they can be removed and stage blocks put in their place for more acting space. This may also make the set more realistic and not seem part of the schoolroom.

I need to decide whether I will use a design where the Japanese prisoner walks in from the audience or whether he comes from behind the set.

Lighting

I will not have too bright lighting as it is meant to be in a hut without lighting. I will use orange/yellow lights with maybe some green to emphasise the jungle. Another way I could emphasise the jungle is if available, use a right-angled profile spot from the top right behind the stage with a leaf break-up gobo. I could direct this through the window and doors to show sunlight streaming in through the jungle. It would be impractical to use a conventional light, as there would not be enough space to have it at a safe angle due to the possibility of it burning out.

Evaluation of Scene

I started doing my initial ideas by reading through the script and deciding what I would use from the script and what I would modify. My design is going to focus on page 33 to the end of Act 1.

This part begins with Johnstone and Mitchem getting the patrol ready to push off from the hut when Bamforth spots the Japanese soldier. Bamforth and Evans are on guard at an opening in the hut. As the soldier advances up the track to the hut the patrol are told to hide at the sides of the hut. Just as everything is set and the audience are expecting the soldier to appear Whitaker points out that the set that the patrol have been trying to use to communicate with the base is left upon the table in full sight of the opening in the hut. The patrol knowing that a large squad of Japanese soldiers could be easily warned by the soldier try to move it but realise it is too late.

As the part is reaching the climax the Japanese soldier appears at the opening. He glances in and then moves off in the direction of the door. The only option is to take him prisoner. As the soldier enters the hut Johnstone grabs for the soldier and restrains him in a violent struggle. The point in the play comes where the soldiers are left with the dilemma of whether to kill him or not. All the soldiers are too worried but Bamforth seizes the bayonet and is about to stab the prisoner when Mitchem walks in and stops him. The commotion eases and they settle down into the hut.

The prisoner almost makes himself at home and certain members of the patrol become almost friendly with him. All settles down until Macleish and Smith return from a scout and warn them that there is a large trail of Japanese soldiers passing through in the direction of the base. Whitaker tries to communicate with the base but the radio isn't working very well and he ends up with a Japanese voice speaking to him.

The Act ends with the patrol all turning to look at the prisoner as if to say, 'How are we going to get back to the base before the Japanese and with the Japanese soldier. The prisoner, thinking that they are wanting him to entertain them, raises his hands to his head and smiles.

Evaluation of initial ideas

Set 1 is designed to show the bareness of the hut. There is a window at the back for the men on guard to sit at. It has a slat behind it with jungle scenery on it. It will also have wooden posts painted on to show the veranda. There is a door next to it so that the audience see the Japanese man at the window before he enters at the door. He also needs to be able to see in to see the set. The slats are angled so that the actors don't act behind them out of the audience's sight lines. There is one window in the right-hand slat this is to emphasise the jungle. I think that if there is one in one side there could be another in the other side so that all the audience see a window. Behind each window will be a flat with jungle scenery on and possibly foliage coming through the window. I think the table and chairs could be pushed further back because any acting going on behind it will be out of the audience's view. The door opens on that side because if it opens the other way then the struggle will all be in the corner and not where it is easy to see what is happening. It opens inwards so that anyone needing to go along behind it can when it's open.

I have decided that set 1 is a strong possibility and the only thing I think needs modifying is the positioning of the table.

Set 2 is designed so that the audience see the arrival of the Japanese solider. He can enter through the side door of the annex. The most obvious problem with this is that the wall blocks the view of most of the audience even if it is low. I'm not sure that there is a suitable place for the table. It needs to be at the back of the stage to not block any acting and yet the soldier needs to be able to see it from the window as he walks up the path. When the patrol gather around the window to see the Japanese soldier most of the actors will not be seen as the person standing or sitting nearest to the audience will block everyone else. I think that I would need to do something about the cyclorama because it really needs to look like a jungle along the side where the soldier walks. One way to get around this is to use green material hanging down with branches, trunks and suchlike painted on.

I think that set 2 is impractical because the wall is too high and blocking the audience's view. If it were lower then I think it wouldn't distinguish the difference between the Jungle and the hut.

Set 3 is designed as a thrust stage. The idea is to have the soldier approaching from behind the audience. There will be no problems with the audience not seeing the guard's faces because they will constantly be scouring the audience. The only problem would be the wall. The stage is meant to make the audience feel part of the jungle and actually there. Although they feel part when the soldier approaches I don't think it would help anywhere else. I think the back window could be more to one side. I don't like everything being so central because it doesn't look like a messy hut it looks too precise and neat.

Set 3 would be really good if there was tiered seating because it would really make the audience feel part of the Jungle. As there isn't then the wall makes it hard to see what's happening on the stage. I think it would be very hard for the Japanese soldier to act as if he couldn't see the men, as they would clearly be visible. If the Japanese soldier can't see them then we can't.

Final Set

I have chosen this design because it conveys the sense of isolation well. I have decided to keep the door, window and forms in the same place as set 1. There are two windows so all of the audience can see the jungle outside the hut on the flats. I have moved the table back to provide more acting area.

I have removed the steps at the side of the stage so that it is more realistic and there is more acting space.

I am going to have a cyclorama all around the stage with gaps for the entrance/exits. I will use the school wooden slats. I will paint them with a matt paint.

I am going to make the isolation of the hut be shown in the set by things such as having weeds growing through the walls I think another way of showing that it is disused is to put some sand or powder on the table and floor so that it looks as if there is plenty of dust. I am going to use an old door that has rusty hinges and is very stiff.

I have decided that the props, apart from personal props that I will use are as follows.

I am going to use a form, two chairs and a table. I will position the form in front of the window so that the men on guard have somewhere to sit without a chair blocking the audience's view. I have decided to use this because it conveys the isolation of the hut and the poor conditions. Another reason I will not use chairs for the men on guard is because they are too homely and comfortable. I thought that so as not to have the actors constantly facing away they could sit facing sideways with their heads tilted to the opening. I will use an old form without any varnish on it so that it looks more dull and disused.

I am also going to use and old rickety table to put the set on and to make the hut more realistic. The table will be very simple and temporary so it will not have any carvings or lathed legs. It could even have one leg cut short so it rocks. It must be strong enough to withstand a set and possibly someone sitting on it. I will have two chairs around the table. They will be similar to the table; no frills and they won't be matching. They must be strong though so if they get knocked over in the struggle they won't break. All the furniture will be made from wood of a similar colour to the slats. The table will be about 1.5 meters in length 1 meter wide and a meter high. The chairs will be of a standard size and the form will be the length of the window. The table will be positioned to the left of the window and about 2 meters in.

I am going to use a real radio set if possible. If it were not available then I would make one out of some cheap wood. I would use some old headphones for Whitaker to use.

Stage measurements

The dashed lines represent parts of the stage that are optional. There is the option of more stage blocks but they aren't incorporated in any of my initial ideas. All around the stage will be a cyclorama, which will cover up the walls especially the organ pipes.