>So we thought a lot of stage designing as well, Gernot has outline a rough
>idea of how the stage, screens and technicians should be arranged. I will
>try to put this on the web soon. I am sure we still need a stage designer,
>who "supervises" the various stages but I am sure that every stage will
>have its own possibility to design the "end" version of the stage arrangement.
To have a true feeling for the text it is important to know the layout of
the stage including some idea of the set design. Looking forward to seeing
Gernot's thoughts regarding this matter when posted on the web.
>
>At 12:19 26.01.97 -0800, L.H. Grant wrote:
>>In all of the strange and exotic lands Odysseus journeyed there were two
>>things that remained constant, the sea and sky. These two elements that
>>unite all of the locations of The Odyssey could also be used to unite all
>>of the RL stages of Oudeis if we simply design the sets on the various RL
>>stages to have similar if not identical representations of the ocean and
>>the heavens.
>
>I am not sure if I got your idea. First of all is our Odysseus still
>traveling through the Oceans? I thought of our Odysseus on his journey
>through the wires of the net.
The net is a metaphor for the oceans. Why not show both? After all, the
electronic transmissions of the performance will undoubtedly travel on
lines and vectors through the sky and under the oceans.
>
>>This would also have the added advantage of increasing the ways in which we
>>can represent the virtual characters. For instance, images (possibly
>>gobos) could be projected onto the sky of the various stages to represent
>>the virtual characters playing gods. This will give the gods the elevated
>>perspective they deserve and help to prevent the overreliance on the light
>>cones. Furthermore, if the sky is composed of a flexible material that
>>moves with the currents of wind created by a fan, the images would then
>>appear to be dynamic and not static. If the sea were created with a
>>similar material we could also use the lights and motions of the sea and
>>sky to show the dramatic changes in weather that forced Odysseus to these
>>different locations. I think this would be very effective theatrically
>>and, at the same time, help with the transitions between scenes.
>
>For me the virtual characters are NOT the gods (the gods I know now really
>need a special discussion). They are the partners / antagonists of
>Odysseus.
Won't the gods, at some point, become virual characters on the stages where
they are not literally seen?
>>changes in weather that forced Odysseus to these differnt locations
>I agree with you that we maybe have to find something that shows why
>Odysseus is still traveling, why he reached this or that island. Maybe we
>could here again use the metaphor of the lines of the internet, the "wind
>of the ebones" that drives us for and back :)
That's why I made my comments concerning the sea and sky being used to
demonstrate the weather. This could also be combined with some projection
or lighting effect that would expand on the metaphor of the internet.
Also, I believe a critical period in the performance is the time between
scenes in which Odysseus is theoretically making his way to another
location (RL stage). I think it would be much more effective to visually
and audibly show Odysseus at the mercy of the elements be they wind and
wave, or electrical and mechanical.
Additional advantages to using this as a transition between scenes is less
time where the audience is left with nothing happening (I have other
concerns on this point I will get into later). In addition, if there are
technical problems during the performance the use of these transitions
could provide us with a period of time during which our technicians could
hopefully fix the problem without the audience being aware of any
difficulties.
Lee