Hamlet - State Theatre

Production Elements 7
Aquila Theatre Company uses the visual elements
of live theater to create the atmosphere for the
various settings in Hamlet. The scenery, costumes,
and lighting work together to help the audience enter
the world of the play. These aspects of the production
were designed specifically to help communicate the
company’s ideas about the play, keeping in mind the
practical concerns of a touring show.
THE SETS
Since Aquila’s productions tour around the U.S.
and play in theaters of different sizes, the sets must
be compact and light enough to pack up and travel
across the country by truck or plane. The backdrop
is a large scrim—a piece of translucent fabric that,
when lit from behind, reveals the actors behind it. This technique is incorporated during scenes with the Ghost as well
as scenes during which people are spying on others. The set pieces for Hamlet are fairly simple: a square groundcloth,
wooden chairs, and wooden folding screens. A large wooden box with a plank top used is used as a bed, Ophelia’s bier,
the grave in the gravedigger scene, etc.
D During the show, watch how the same objects are used in different ways.
THE COSTUMES AND PROPS
Costumes and props help establish the play’s time period and location, and also indicate the age and social position of
the characters. In Aquila’s production of Hamlet, the design team created costumes and props that, for the most part,
look like the clothes and items people wear and carry today. (For example, the guards carry guns instead of swords.) A
few aspects of the production more closely resemble Shakespeare’s era: the duel between Laertes and Hamlet is done
with swords.
D During the show, notice the use of both contemporary and period props and costumes. How do the
costumes help define the age and social status of the different characters? Would it have been as
easy for you to notice these distinctions if the actors had been dressed in 17th-century costumes?
THE LIGHTING
The lighting design helps convey mood, atmosphere, and time, and helps the audience focus on a particular image.
The speed and movement of the lighting are carefully coordinated with the actors and music. Color is a key element in
the lighting design. Thin sheets of colored plastic, called gels, are used in front of a lighting fixture to change the color
of the light. To achieve depth and dimension, gobos (sheets of metal with designs cut into them) are placed in front of
lighting fixtures to create patterns on the stage floor or in the air. Where the lighting is placed is also important. Side
light “sculpts” the actors and gives them dimension. Direct front light flattens out the actors’ appearance, while back
light makes a performer stand out from the background. A “special”—direct light on an actor—draws focus onto a
performer and helps them connect with the audience.
D During the show, look for interesting patterns created by light shining through the folding screens.