Nutcraker Set Design

Nutcraker Set Design

1. Prep for a visit (1st)

   • 3 beds- unsymetrical balance allows focus onto wardrobe
   • Grey colouring- drab existence, contrasts the matrons white hat
   • Sloping brick layout - suggests sinking building and decreipt
   • 2 oversized windows- shows height and over powering nature of the building
   • Empty branches of trees outside the windows- room is high up , no leaves suggest its winter
   • Crack through centre stage - walls crumbling , old building , drab and dirty
   • Clock in centre stage - emphasis when the clock strikes 12

2. Frozen Lake (2nd)

   • Large circular shape at the back of the stage - shape of eye, imagery that the dancers are being watched through Claras eye.
   • Large floating feather above dancers - dream-like , pillow feather , sleeping imagery
   • Upstage projection of pale blue and white clouds - nice day , small fluffy clouds

3. By invitation only (3rd)

   • Mouth shaped entrance - idea of food into the mouth ( gobstoppers, marshmallows etc ) , pink suggests fun and sugary.
   • The flat has blue and pink vertical stripes with clouds on top - connects to previous use of clouds , idea of an ideal world up in the clouds
   • Uvula and mouth are covered by a mirror - mirrors are narcissistic ; dance is based on poses and getting ready in the mirrors

4. The wedding party (4th)

   • Large wedding cake (upsatge centre) with 12 dancers , Prince Bon Bon is on top layer and the marshmallow girls on the bottom layer - dancers seem small like deocorations
   • 10 candles , various silver bows - candles are the main form of lighting as the final scene opens

Images and files in the map