by Michael Frayn
Ohio University Baker Theatre
March 2015
Director: Ryan Holihan
Scenic Design: Glenn Pepe
Lighting Design: Garrett Hood
Costume Design: Renee Garcia
Sound Design: Nathan Davis
This popular farce pushed the physical envelope of the Baker Theatre at Ohio University. Requiring eight doors, two floors, and a stage turntable all within a 34 foot proscenium, every inch was critical. The Director, Ryan Holihan, requested an architecture that was genuine. Therefore there were no second floor doors over the front door or window. The concept for the design was a contemporary set of a Tudor style home that had been “updated” in the 1980s. Introducing 80’s style wallpaper to Tudor walls was an effective way to represent this visually.
The space constraints of the theatre required one of the walls to be shorter than the rest in order to avoid a rotating lighting position. The curved molding on the stair walls kept it low enough while appearing to be an intentional design. There are numerous hidden elements of humor within the set, including large rooster painting, photos of phallic buildings, and several odd caution signs on the ‘back stage’ set.
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