Xishuangbanna’s Dai Show gave STUFISH an opportunity to design a show set that reflected the local legends of the production
// 2015
// Show
// Dai Show Theatre, Xishuangbanna
The show, produced by Dragone, required a set that would transform in seconds to amaze the spectators and allow the creative story to unfold. Above all, the brief asked us to respect and represent local culture, from local architectural design to the natural world and local cultural traditions.
Alicia Tkacz
STUFISH
“Combining our roles of architect and set designer allowed us to utilise our in depth knowledge of the theatre space and ensure the design of the scenery blended coherently into the architectural concept”
As well as designing the show, we also created the theatre, allowing us to harmonise all elements for maximum impact. The Dai Show harnesses the special water features built into the set as part of an acrobatic spectacle telling the story of the Dai. The needs of the Dragone-produced stage show included requirements for a fast-filling and emptying water basin big enough to perform in and around, as well as fixed ‘dry’ spaces for the performance.
We integrated ten acrobatic gates for the elaborate 3D flying system into the design of the roof structure, allowing performers to fly from the 9-metre platform and soar above both stage and audience. Scenery seems to grow from the grid above and the floor below, entwining the stage and set with natural effects, while lights, projections, and water effects like cascades and fountains, emphasise the creative story of the production.
Technical details
// 110m diameter golden roof
// Low grid height just 18m above the seats
// 1400-square-metre stage split into three sections
// 14-metre-wide performance basin on main stage
// Basin can be filled in 45 seconds and drained in 20 seconds
// Basin contains an 8-metre wide pool plug, which lowers 5.5 metres to allow a dramatic 15m high-dive from a catwalk
// Second stage can be used wet or dry
// Third stage is a dry upstage area
// 10 acrobatic gates for an elaborate 3D flying system
Credits
Show Director Andre Kasten + Leah Moyer Creative Director Franco Dragone Producer Franco Dragone Entertainment Group Production Manager Jean Marcouiller Composer Michael Brennan Lighting Design Olivier Legendre Costume Design Nicolas Vaudelet Sound Design Corrado Campanelli Video Design & Animation Patrick Neys Staging Supplier Yang Liping Workshop, Beijing Technical Director Kjell Peersman
