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The Crab: Journal of Theatre and Media Arts (Number 8/June 2013, 79-96)
Scene Design as a Medium of Non-Verbal Communication in the
Theatre: An Analysis of Dimabo Oruama’s Return of the Golden Sword
Agha Patrick and Agha Charles
Abstract
This paper examines critically, the much extolled means of non-verbal
communication embodied in theatrical designs, which has gained much
support as one of the most codified and viable form for articulating
meaning, assigning and interpreting value in theatre productions, without
recourse to dialogue. The study discovers that every stage constitution,
actor, set, props, sound and light are components of sign and symbols
utilized by the director and the entire design collaborators to give life and
meaning to the playwright’s vision. There have been situations were
designers are carried away with aesthetics as against the relevance of design
as a medium of communication to the production. For there to be effective
communication in any production, there has to be harmony between the
director and the entire production crew with each contributing his quota
based on the director’s interpretation. A scene design that contradicts
performance, except deliberately used by the director as metaphor will send
wrong message to the audience and will contradict the playwright’s intent.
To pursue vigorously this surmise, are scholarly materials from archival and
virtual sources, that typifies the accomplishment of this undertaken to rest
solely on devices like: architectonic structures, lights, projected images,
sound, costumes and props. The study recommends the need for harmony
between the director and the entire production design crew for better
interpretation of signs and symbols and the meanings assigned for the
consumption of the audience.
Keywords: Design and Construction, Design Elements, Scene Design and
Communication, Design Collaborators
Introduction
In a robust discourse on scene design, and its role in theatre productions,
Parker Oren asserts that, though theatre designs may branch off different
areas of specialties, but the most visible form may be seen in: “the
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environmental background or scenery, costumes for actors within the
setting, stage lighting and its visual enhancement, and finally sound” (2).
According to the Webster’s Universal English Dictionary and
Thesaurus, design “is a plan, a pattern, a composition, a plot, shape or
appearance of a decorative pattern or something” (147). Similarly Arherm,
sees it as a
Conscious activity guided by aims and objectives. It refers to
planned and organized actions intended to bring about some
predetermined outcome from which there may also be
accidental or unexpected results. Design has always been
used … to interpreting the nature of world and life to human
eyes ( qtd. In Agoba 167).
Although several definitions and configurations on design had risen based
on discipline, however design to theatre literati can be generally accepted, as
the creative, organization and harmonious arrangement of visual and sonic
experiences that elicit the aesthetics values of objects in contact. Scene
design in a theatre production encompasses impute of the various design
units towards actualizing the production. Signs and symbols attributed to a
production must contribute in interpreting meanings assigned to it. There
have been situations were meanings assigned to signs and symbols are
wrongly interpreted resulting from wrong usage by designers.
The main thrust of this paper is on the ability to effectively utilize
theatrical designs as complimentary medium of communication without
recourse to dialogue. Theatrical designs are integral part of productions and
remain a viable tool with which the director communicates with the
audience. Oga asserts that as effort to reform theatre practice, there have
been age long agitations by theatre theorist on the need to give credence to
non-verbal means of expression:
Some of these experiments have tried to discourage the
heavy reliance on verbal communication in the theatre
asking that premium be put on the use of such non-verbal
means of expression as gesture, body movement and sounds
that do not involve the use of words (41).
The ability for an audience to understand, and interpret meaning correctly
from a design or scenery is dependent not only on her acquaintance with the
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environment, or the archaeological make-up of that culture, but a general
knowledge and acceptance of codified codes or symbols inherent in the
production. It must be noted that the African culture is multifaceted and
interpretation to signs and symbols differ from one region to another.
Scene design in theatre, film or television, have been summed up to
include set design, costume design, make-up design, lighting design, and
sound design. Irrespective of genres, artistic creation at all times, should
endeavor to maintain some level of design, that will adequately reflect the
playwright’s, vision, the director’s creative interpretation.
For there to be a successful production, the entire design crew must
harmonize to create, and bring the production environment to life, through
the use of costume, set, props, sound, light, colour, texture, shapes and
space. For example, in Peter Brook’s production of Weiss Marat/Sade “the
persecution and assassination of Jean-Paul Marat”, performed by the
inmates of Charenton Asylum, used Jacques Louis David’s panting to evoke
visual images, which served as metaphor for the production (Corrigan, 244).
Also drawn from that painting are several other elements like: setting,
costume, movement of actors and the visualization of other roles.
This paper shall examine the use of scene design as a medium of non-verbal
communication in the theatre, using Dimabo Oruama’s Return of the Golden
Sword as reference.
A Historical Overview of Scenic Design
The origin of scene design is traceable to early plays produced in the Greek
and Roman Theatre. Although a handful of scholars submit that the classical
period did not feature complex scene designs. According to Brockett:
The oblong building at the rim of the orchestra called the
skene was originally a place where actors might dress and
retire to change roles. Gradually this house came to be used
as background for the action of the play and its usefulness
for scene purpose was exploited (88).
The background often times represent the exterior of a house, with entrances
and exits, while the space in front of the skene sometimes represent street.
Other design elements supported by this undertaken are costume, sound and
props, which were prominent features of the Dithyrambic-emotional songs
(Jacobus, 35). Apart from the sonorous hymns, movements of the chorus in
time and space in the Donysiac, attention was accorded such design
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elements, which were creatively used to re-enact events. The only design
element that was totally absent in the Greek plays was the artificial lighting,
but scholars have pointed out, that its absence is not connected with the
absence of such technology at that period, but a deliberate design for
productions in the Accropolis to suite natural day-light, which served as a
better source of illumination.
Most scholars have confirmed that the Roman theatre was modeled
after the Greek’s, with certain distinguishing features which marked its
slight changes and modification. For instance, the scaenae or the
background which housed the actions of the Roman theatre, was much more
developed architecturally, it reveals a three story building with multiple
arches, columns and pillars adorned to enhance its aesthetic value.
According to Brockett, two of the most distinguishing features, that came
some time between 133 and 56BC is recorded thus:
…, a curtain was introduced in the Roman theatre, It was
dropped into a slot at the front of the stage at the beginning
of a performance and was raised at the end. Second, the
Roman stage had a roof, which served at least two functions:
it protected the elaborate scaenae frons from the weather,
and it improved the acoustics (124).
Apart from such design elements like, set, costume, props and sound design,
the only design element that is conspicuously absent in the Roman theatre is
artificial lighting, this is so because of the architectural design of the open
air theatre, which is generally dependent on natural daylight.
Scenic designs in Medieval Productions, account for one of the
greatest theatrical encounter, which has influenced realism, especially when
spectrum of views are taken to examine the lofty and complex set, or the
realistic depiction of Hell and her characters, and the presentation of
miraculous events, recorded in the Bible through the use of secrets by the
conducteurs. The collapsible mansions dragged on wheels and wagons
provides a well structured design property, that represents the eternal and
temporal settings, involving the three planes of being in the Medieval
cosmology, which is, Heaven, Earth and Hell that were represented
scenically. In the words of Brockett:
The greatest attention was devoted to special effects, which
were made convincingly, although such effort may be
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explained in part by a love of spectacle, an equally important
factor was the desire to embody the miraculous events
described in the Bible… special pains were also taken in the
depiction of Hell and its horrors (132).
All Medieval stage and set design were temporal, and were expected to be
dismantled at the end of every performance.
The fall of Roman Empire brought about the loss of several
literatures which dominated the Greek and Roman theatre. The decline of
the Greek and Roman theatre ushered in the Renaissance. This era signaled
a new era in history, it represent the era of self-assertions, where emphasis
was shifted from the worship of gods and festivals to man, with more
interest in life here on earth than preparation for life hereafter. The concept
of the Renaissance represents the rebirth of knowledge, propelled by the lost
literatures of Roman and Greek theatres. Brockett writes that:
Many forces helped to create the Renaissance Probably the
most important of these was the Increased secularization of
thought as men ceased to be preoccupied with the
theological questions and devoted greater attention to the
worth of humanity and earthly life (148).
Brockett informs that the beginning of Renaissance in Italy, marked two
influences on theatrical style and design. According to him, “one that
stemmed from the architectural treatise of vitruvius, and another derived
from the contemporary interest in perspectives. Attempts to combine these
two forces, eventually led to the invention of the picture frame stage.” As
part of effort to develop the architectural design of Italian Renaissance,
Jacobus submits that:
Using vittruvius’s design, the Italian began building stages
that were raised platforms… The earliest Italian woodcut
show the stages to be relatively simple with pillars
supporting a roof or cover. Curtains stretched between the
pillars to permit the actors to enter and exit. Usually three
doors with names over them indicated the houses of specific
characters…,the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, designed by
the great Renaissance architect, Andrea Pallado (51181580)… influenced architecture all over the world (158).
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Another development in the Italian scenic design was the use of painted
backdrops to depict thought or concept, and differentiate scenes to suggest a
change in action, situation or location. Jacobus explains further that “the
painted backdrops enhanced the aesthetic values of the productions, and
made scenery more realistic.”
Another great architectural design that revolutionized Italian scene
design, was the vanishing point perspective developed by Filippo
Brunelleschi (1377-1446). The introduction became possible to show
buildings, figures in their proper proportion to one another, and Renaissance
painters were able to achieve life like illusions on flat surface (Jacobus 158).
Perspective paintings gave room for more realistic scene designs; it
allowed the height of the side wings to diminish, as they recede from the
audience with the floor of the stage raked upward from upstage to down
stage. These two features helped perspective achieve apparent depth within
a restricted space. The development of the picture-frame stage, gave rise to
such innovation as the proscenium arch, to wade off the audience from
seeing in and around the stage setting, thus, confining every stage activity
within the picture box. Ball and Brockett gave a full dossier of the
development of scene changes, within the Italian scenic design, in their
words:
A setting that depicted a single place in its entirety created
another problem: how to move from one locale to another.
The solution eventually arrived at the use of two dimensional
wings set up parallel to the front of the stage and in a series
from front to back. At each wing position, as many different
flats were used (one immediately In the back of another) as
there were scene to be depicted during the performance. To
change from one set to the next the visible wings were pulled
offstage, revealing others that represented the next scene.
The set was enclosed at the back by painted flats, which met
at the centre of the stage. Several back scene (or shutters)
could be set up and shifted in the same way as in the wings
(115).
The Italian intermezzi, is yet another unique art piece that is identified with
the Renaissance, in terms of elaborate set design, spectacular costume,
music and dance notations. Although, the intermezzi is not a full length
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production on its own, but was used between acts, as spectacles for scene
changes.
The scenic design in the Elizabethan world view could be better
appreciated if only we embrace the world of Shakespeare (1564-1616), the
most significant playwright of the time. The theatre of Shakespeare was an
adaptation that follows the medieval convention. According to Brockett, the
“Globe Theatre” of Shakespeare was:
Basically round with an exterior diameter of approximately
ninety nine feet; the globe had three levels of roofed
galleries each about twelve feet six inches deep. These
galleries enclosed and unroofed open space (the yard)
approximately seventy four feet in diameter; the stage
extends to the middle of the yard, approximately forty one
feet three inches wide and twenty four feet nine inches deep
and raised five to six feet above the yard. The stage was
viewed from three sides from the sitting in the gallery or
standing in the yard. The stage is sheltered by a roof,
supported by two posts near the front of the stage platform.
At the back of the stage platform was a multilevel facade
(103).
The scenic background for all the stage action remains the façade, with little
or no alteration in each scene. Simple stage set and properties were brought
into the stage depending on what the scene required, most times the specific
location for a scene is established through dialogue by the characters on
stage instead of localizing the scene. Another scenic element that was given
attention in the Elizabethan theatre was costume, characters were costumed
according to status and nationality, such creatures as ghosts, witches, fairies
and allegorical figures were dressed in fanciful garments, corresponding to
the accepted idea of appearance. Source of illumination was from natural
day-light, as the stage was unroofed, night was indicated by the dialogue of
characters on stage, or indicated by the action of characters holding the
object referred to, for example, torches, lanterns or candles on set.
In fact the use of artificial lighting became necessary, with the
influence of the Italian architectural design, of entirely enclosed theatre.
This motivated in the 18th Century the use of artificial lighting for theatre
productions. Prior to this time, torches, candles, oil lamps, Gas light and
reflectors were used for illuminating the stage. But the 19th century brought
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extensively the changes in lighting and scene design, through the
development electricity and the use of electricity lamps, which became
prominent, with its advantage of being centrally controlled. With the
invention of the incandescent bulb in (1879), light became a primary scene
painter, through the effort of Adolphe Appia, and his contemporaries.
Scene Design and Communication
In Duro Oni’s Stage Lighting Design, Gillette, in a discourse stresses that, in
determining the function of scene design in dramatic presentation, “is the
creating of a form to fulfill a purpose or function… linked with the dramatic
form it deserves” (128). In actual fact it takes the collaborative effort of the
director, and the entire design crew to create an ideal environment for what
could be termed a production. The designer as a member of the production
team, must work tirelessly to fulfill adequately the director’s interpretation,
which to a great extent, forms a major verve in communication. Therefore,
the meaning encoded in a design can have absolute justification, if only the
audience’s foreknowledge on the culture it represents is well communicated.
Counsel in his view contends that:
The audience interpretative role, however, goes beyond
recognizing theatre as a category. The audience is also active
in manufacturing the meaning a theatrical event offers, for
this too requires the spectator to use their cultural
experience. In order to understand how theatre works, the
meaning it constructs and the means by which it does so, we
must now examine it and the audiences place within culture
(6).
The communicative ability of scene design rests solely on the audience’s
knowledge, and acquaintance of signs and symbols a culture represents.
This presupposes that interpretation to scenic designs may differ from one
individual to another, based on accepted codes or symbols represented in the
culture that is re-enacted. Symbols that are alien to a culture and audience
may breed difficulty in decoding the actual meaning assigned to it.
Playwright’s Vision: This vision which is embroidered in the theme, and
within the subject of discourse, forms the basis for the director’s
interpretation which must yield harmony between all the units of the design,
as well as performance.
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It will be of no dramatic sense, when stage movements, dialogue, line
interpretation and characterization, are in disharmony with the set, costume,
light, sound design. For instance, a kingly role could be interpreted along the
line of royalty, with such magnificent lines, props and ornaments that
depicts authority. But it will make more sense, if it is complimented with a
befitting palace, and elevated throne to differentiate status. Oren opines that
a good scenic interpretation should represent the playwright’s intent, and the
interpretation of the director:
The study of dramatic structure and perception of the
playwright’s intent helps the designer bring an appropriate
visual interpretation on to the stage. The ability to
understand the ideas of the playwright, remaining true to the
intent of the play while allowing an artistic vision to
develop, is a difficult but vital part of the designer’s job. The
better a designer can juggle those tasks, the easier it will be
to provide a theatrical flair while keeping the design in
proportion to the dramatic import of the play (11).
The liberty accorded the director, as supported by Craig does not in any way
include, altering of the central message of the play text, which is the
exclusive right of the playwright. But he adduced that the director possesses
an unquestionable autonomy, to blend all the interpretations of the different
agents of design, with his interpretative vision of the play text.
Period/Background: Every play is rooted within a specific background,
period or within a time frame in history. The faithful and creative
representation of these backgrounds, through the use of various design
elements, forms the verve in visual communication. For example, a play set
in pre-colonial Africa, should parade some aesthetic difference and
background, from same set in modern Africa, with all the western
influences. The background of a play is a product of culture, and must not
be taken for granted. Take for instance a Yoruba play, will attract the onus
of the designer in all ramification, to adequately represent certain
characteristics associated with such cultural background, for example,
effective use of costumes, symbols, props etc. In effectual, there should be
adequate interpretation of the play by the entire production collaborators,
taking into consideration costumes associated with such a background, and
adequately representing the background of the play, status of characters and
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period depicted, complimenting set properties that befits the status of
character, and sound to highlight various mood and situations that is not
alien to the background, as well as simulating lighting to enhance visibility.
Establish time, place and action: All actions and activities within a play
are situated within a specific setting. Very complex plays could have many
settings, and would need a whole lot of experience from the set or scene
designer, to get through the hurdles of design for such a production,
especially to enhance a smooth flow of scene changes. Oren in Scene Design
and Stage Lighting has reaffirmed that:
The action of the play must occur in a specific time and
place, which are usually calculated by the author… A
specific time in the historical past can prepare a state of mind
of the audience as much as the absence of a specific time or
place can (46).
It has also been ascertained that with the development of modern
technology, most scenes or setting, that ordinary seem impossible, can now
be achieved by designs generated via projectors. That also brings us to the
need for the designer to also have a grasp of computer generated designs and
such design must also represent adequately the signs and symbols of the
culture represented. In most cases, computer generated designs work
beautifully well as scenic backgrounds, where the characters on stage does
not have physical contact with such generated set properties.
Establish Mood: It is a verifiable fact that certain scenic expressions
establish mood, through their different design elements. Hodge declares that
“mood is a derivative of dramatic action”, a feeling of emotion generated
from the clash of forces in action, which its resultant effect is predicated
towards, an enhanced illumination of the tonal goal of the director (55). In
establishing mood, one can use light or contrast the use of light to heighten
or show the time of day, like-wise the use of colour, costume and sound.
Take for instance a mourning scene, such a scene will be given the
encomium it deserves, if its mood adjective and mood metaphor are well
replicated, by the lighting and costume designer without the use of dialogue.
For sound, the believability in it is enough to strike a chord, think of a
gunshot without a sound, a slap without a sound, a thunder strike without a
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sound etc. In agreement with this undertaken, these design elements when
combined together gives a play its ideal interpretation.
Establish Status of Character: “The world of play exerts special influence
on every character that lives in it. As they associate with one another, they
are bound to hold specific point of view or attitude towards that world, be it
positive or the reverse” (Hodge, 24). Adequate representation of the various
personalities in a play stands out a very strong visual tool for
communication. The onus of a good production lies in the designer’s
creative ability to distinguish characters adequately, utilizing such elements
like: costume and set properties to justify status. According to Hewitt, Appia
asserts that:
In every work of art there must be a harmonious relationship
between feeling and form, a perfect balance between the idea
which the artist wishes to express and the means he uses to
express it. If one of the means seems to us clearly
unnecessary to the expression of the idea, or if the artists
idea- the object of his expression is only imperfectly
communicated to us by the means he employs, our aesthetic
pleasure is weakened, if not destroyed (quoted in
Butterworth, 10).
Focusing on the above, character has adroitly played itself, as one of the
means through which ideas are expressed, and for better character
interpretation, the director would have to collaborate with all the design
agents, so that adequate understanding of the ideal requirement of a play
could be achieved.
Style: Michael Gillete, defined style as “a recognizable pattern of the
compositional elements, that provides a distinctive reflection of the social
and political history of the time” (68). The impact of style is more felt in a
physical form of performance itself, it is also easier to interpret the physical
world of a play, based on ones assessment of the degree of reality inconformity with the form the designer is trying to depict. Most styles of
productions are commonly assessed, from the point of conformity to reality,
through effective utilization of the design elements that strongly represent
the world of the play. Styles are often classed according to their ability to
portray representational and non-representational qualities. Oren, contents
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that “the representational style is lifelike”, because the design form is
rendered as near in its natural form, while non representational style, which
is the opposite, is interplay of the abstract, the designer does not attempt to
create any form to bear a true resemblance of an actual object (55). Theatre
design is one of the most formidable medium, used easily to establish the
director or the production style. Modern plays tend to adopt more realistic
representation, compared to the early Greek and Roman plays, that is
labeled in exaggeration. Therefore, to create a strong dramatic form, that
will be sacrosanct within the ambit of this discussion, there has to be unity
between the entire design elements of costume, set, lighting and sound.
The Return of the Golden Sword
A beautiful re-inaction, reflecting the Obia community of the Niger Delta
people, written by Hon. Dimabo Oruama and directed by Adonye OmuboPepple, as command performance for the Rivers state government and
public performance at the Hotel Presidential cinema hall in September 2008.
The scene designers include, Angbara Joshua set design, Agha Patrick light
and sound designer and Thelma Fiberesima costume design. The story
revolves around the royal home of King Dokubo, the King of Obia
community who has successfully been on the throne of his father’s for
twenty years. The story opens with a massive celebration of the Dokubo’s
twentieth anniversary; it develops to complication as the King opts to know
amongst his three sons the person that will succeed him after his reign, by
requesting to know how much his children love him. The story develops to a
more tensed situation as the King picks offence on Ibibo his second son, for
saying his love for his father is like the common salt. The King’s quest for
an ideal successor results to the banishment of his son Ibibo who he forced
to an oath never to meet again and as symbol of separation King Dokubo
hands Ibibo one of the golden sword. Despite the intervention of his chiefs,
council of elders and the community at large, the King refuses to reverse his
pronouncement. Ibibo goes on exile, for many days and night he wondered
the thick and thin of the forest to unknown destination until one day in the
thick of the forest, he met an old woman who rescued him and took him to
her community. Ibibo found hope and life again in his new abode. In the
cause of his stay in Kongoma community, he was picked to become the
King. During his coronation he invites all the Kings of the neighboring
communities including his father who does not recognize him adorned in his
kingly regalia. To prove to the father his innocence, unknown to the visitors,
he orders that their food should not be salted; of course this brought very
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negative reactions by the visitors when the meal was finally served. Ibibo
discloses himself at the end of the day, proves it to his father the measure of
his love like the common salt that we cannot do without, and the innocence
of his statement that warranted his banishment from Obia community. King
Dokubo realizes his mistakes, apologizes and reconciles with his son, Ibibo
returns the Golden sword back to his father as they embrace
Scene design: the Return of the Golden Sword
The scene design for the play The Return of the Golden Sword was quite a
challenging one, the play had approximately about eleven scenes with seven
different locales and cast strength of about seventy five persons. Managing
such an elaborate cast, set and costume requires some level of experience
and creativity to succeed. The researcher gives kudos to the entire
production team for a job well done. For better assessment of scene design
of the production, the researcher will do an assessment of the various design
units in the different locales avoiding scenes that the locales are repeated as
the design patterns does not actually change or if at all, some minor
insignificant differences. Emphasis will be restricted to the contributions of
the various design units towards actualizing the success of the production.
First Locale: The designers effectively managed the complexity of the
production, there were seven different locale on the whole, the first was a
pre-set of the twentieth year celebration of king Dokubo of Obia on the
throne at the village square. The village square was colorfully adorned with
people representing members of the community and guests from
neighboring communities. The chiefs are adorned in dons of different
colours with trousers and shoes to match. The king also is adorned with a
royal don; around his neck and wrist are beads of different sizes and a crown
on his head with the scepter in his hands. The male villagers are
differentiated with etibor and wrapper, while the women are dressed in
wrapper and blouse. On the whole you can see a true picture of celebration
in a rivers community village square with various classes represented
adequately. The scenic background was represented with a back drop of the
natural sky, simulating an exterior scene, a few chairs seated the king, his
chiefs, very important guests and the elders of the community are arranged
in rows on the stage left, while on the stage right are members of the
community and other lesser guests bunched up together, leaving the middle
open for masquerade and cultural dances. Lighting was basically a simple
general illumination to enhance the atmosphere, not too harsh but subtle
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illumination to simulate early evenings. Sound was generated from songs,
clapping of hands and drumming from the celebrating crowd. The songs
were carefully selected to enhance the joyous atmosphere of the celebration.
With such a marvelous and creative set up, with the interplay of the
background set, props, costume and sound it was easy at a glance for the
audience to deduce a celebration in a village square without recourse to
dialogue.
Second locale: The set for the second scene which also was a different
locale from the first was a true representation of a traditional King’s Palace.
At the Up Center Stage (UCS) is an elevated throne adorned with
ornaments, carvings and valued wrappers. Flanked on the sides are rows of
chairs angled from Up Stage Left (USL) to Down Stage Left (DSL) and Up
Stage Right (USR) to Down Stage Right (DSR) respectively enhancing a
good balance of the set. The background is a painted wall, the wall is
adorned with animal skins; ornaments of various kinds and the two golden
swords the symbol of authority. Characters are not fabulously dressed like
in the first scene. The king is on a simple etibor with wrapper, while the
children are also on etibor but with trousers to match. The designers try to
simulate a casual situation and relaxed atmosphere with the use of costume
light and sound represented in an African traditional palace without recourse
to dialogue. Sound was generated by a background song beautifully put
together by the orchestra to embellish the scenes and to buy time for scene
changes. Lighting design here remains simple subtle illumination to enhance
the atmosphere simulating day. This subtle illumination remains constant till
the end of the scene with a gradual fade to signal the end of the scene.
Third Locale: The nest locale is an interior of a contemporary seating room,
chief Amakiris house was represented with a few settee and table, the
background is yet another wall that is achieved by folding half of the two
extreme of the palace wall Up Stage (flats), to entirely mask the throne,
revealing the back side of the same chain of flats with entirely different
colour and design, creating yet another environment. The set reveals a home
of a middle class family, not fabulously furnished but has some western
influence. Mrs Amakiri is casually dressed with a simple wrapper and
blouse while chief Amakiri who comes in later to join the scene is dressed
with etibor, a George wrapper, a walking stick, with a cap to match.
Lighting remains a simple illumination for atmosphere, illumination was
subtle to simulate late in the morning and remains constant till the end of the
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scene with a gradual fade to indicate the end of the scene. Sound in this
scene, apart from the background songs to buy time for scene change was a
song by mrs Amakiri as she comes in with a tray of food. The set designer
creatively represents a different background away from the traditional
setting that has dominated the other scenes; it communicates not only a shift
from the environment but a change in status and class of characters as also
reflected in the costumes of characters. Illumination here was more of a
simulating the intensity from electric light
Fourth Locale: The scene is a simulation of a thick forest, revealing
haggard Ibibo haven wondered in the forest for many days without food or
water. The forest was simulated with a well painted back drop of thick green
vegetation Up Stage (US) and was complimented with few trees on the Up
Center Left (UCL) stage and Up center Right (UCR) stage. The reality of
perspective painting of the vegetation with the trees decreasing in height as
they recede backward gives the scene a realistic look. Lighting in this scene
was designed to elicit tension and heighten fear. The light designer chose to
play with colours, blue, green and a tint of red projected at very low
intensity to simulate a horrible and fearful night in the jungle. The designer
also did back lighting which helped enhance the reality of the scene by
creating depth with cast of shadows to the vegetation. The nest scene in the
vegetation did not have so much difference except for the fact that the
designer aside using colours also made the forest hazy, simulating a cold
dark and fearful night in the jungle. This, the designer actualized with the
use of fog machine. Sound in this scene was a combination of recorded
sounds of insects and animals played back via speakers in a subtle tone with
a beautiful rendition of dirges generated from the orchestra. The interplay of
sounds and action on set heightened the mood of the scene. The creative use
of set, props, light and make up by the various designers, established a wellrepresented jungle without recourse to dialogue.
Fifth Locale: The nest scene is yet another village square, Kongoma, a
different community from the first one. The scene opens with the entire
members of the community gathered at the village square to undergo the
ritual of selecting a new king according to their tradition. The set designer
despite maintaining the background of the Obia town square modifies the
scenic outlook by placing a small hut Center Left stage (CLS) and a few
trees Center Center stage (CCS) to differentiate the scene from the previous
village square. The elders are seated in front of the hut with the traditional
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Agha Patrick and Agha Charles
three legged chairs. This scenic arrangement thus gives the scene entirely
new look totally different from the first village square of the Obia
community. The costumier maintained the use of etibor for the male adults,
especially the older men, trouser and shirts for the younger men. For the
women, the designer used wrapper and blouse for the elderly women, while
the younger girls tie theirs on the chest. Lighting was basically for
illumination, no details of any kind, the design simulates a bright sunny day.
Sound was generated from the characters on stage as the entire atmosphere
was agog with singing, clapping and drumming from members of the
community. The designers were able to creatively re-create another village
square by manipulating set properties, representing the various classes with
costume and communicated perfectly a shift from one environment to
another.
Sixth Locale: The next locale was a representation of another palace, King
Ibibo’s palace in Kongoma. The set designer adopts entirely a new and
different background, this time another painted backdrop of a brick wall
running through the entire background Up Stage (US) adorned with a few
ornaments. An elevated throne with some rich wrappers, three chairs each
flanked on the either side of the throne simulating the picture of a palace.
Lighting was basically for illumination purpose without emphasis on details.
Sound was also the general background music from offstage creating an
ideal mood for the scene. Ibibo’s costume was a true representation of a
Kalabari King, a beautiful crown on his head, a flowing don with beads
adorned on both the neck and wrist, giving him that majestic look that befits
a king.
Seventh Locale: The last locale brings us back to the Kongoma square, the
hut at the stage left and the upstage remains, more chairs and benches are
introduced on the either sides, those who are standing are bunched upstage
behind those seating on the chairs. In a glance you can tell the various
classes of individual with the good scenic impression by the costumier,
differentiating the kings from the chiefs, the chiefs from the commoners and
among the commoners the adult from children. In this scene, everybody is
gorgeously dressed, but in all you can make out the stratification
accordingly. Long flowing don for the kings and a few high class chiefs, a
crown for the kings and a hat for the chiefs. Majority of the chiefs wore
etibor and wrapper with a hat to match, studs on the neck as against beads
with walking sticks. The women wore wrappers and blouses with hair tie to
Scene Design as a Medium of Non-Verbal Communication in the Theatre: An….
95
match while the other men range from etibor to shirt and trousers. The
young maidens tie wrappers on their chest while the younger boys are
costumed with wrapper and singlet. Lighting was basically for even
illumination. Sound was from the drums and singing and clapping from the
massive celebrating crowd.
Conclusion
From the foregoing, scholars have reiterated that scene design and
construction is a triad culture of theatre, film and television, and within the
context of this paper, an integral part of a production. Therefore, as a
veritable tool for effective theatrical communication, according to this
undertaken, there has to be harmony between the performance and the
design elements, between the director and other design collaborators, whose
desire to faithfully assist the director in realizing his vision or tonal goal is
unbias. In most cases where imperatives in collaboration is lacking, design
may contradict performance, except for productions where it is deliberately
used to concoct the director’s metaphor, or give verve to interpreting the
world of the play. Finally, to brace up to global challenges on design and
construction, there is an urgent need to localize our productions, with the
demands of modern technologies, especially to meet the global yearnings in
the 21st century.
It is therefore hoped, that the responsibility of scene design, is to
contribute effectively to the various units of designs, and to enhance the
general aesthetic value of a production. That, includes: the playwright’s
vision, period/background represented, establishment of time place and
action, establishment of mood, status of character, and above all style.
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