The Joy Awards 2022, held at the Baker Al-Sheddi Theatre in Riyadh, and broadcast live on MBC1 and Shahid VIP platform, celebrates all artistic achievements across numerous genres within Saudi Arabia.
Working with directors Black Skull, our role was to design this everchanging scenic journey. Having conceived the whole journey, where the red-carpet experience was an extension of the performance, we expanded our design reach beyond the walls of the theatre.
// 2022
// Awards Show
// Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The evening started from the moment the guests stepped out of their cars and onto the Lavender Carpet. The design was a continuation of the stage and theatre in that it used golden tubes to frame the space. The visitors would walk through 60m long corridor, where they could engage with fans and have their pictures taken in front of variety of backgrounds. The carpet ended with an outdoor performance with the opportunity to take a video with the Glam Bot camera.
The inside of the theatre gave the visitors an experience even before the start of the show, in the form of the Cave of Light. This immersive space was made from hundreds of internally illuminated golden tubes. They used light and projection mapping to cast the action across the stage.
The show consisted of six different acts with awards in between. Every act was unique in its presence and the set was transformed into a different world each time
The show began with the act of Unity, where the stage set was a large 6m gold leafed replica of the award trophy and included aerialists and dynamic choreography.
The second act was called Love. The essence of this act was to create a time machine in the form of a carousel, which would instigate a play between past and present, between the singer on stage and a singer who had passed away.
Next, the act of Joy. The set transformed into a vibrant and colorful Bollywood scene. A 10m wide eye decorated with flowers became a portal for the artist to appear through and descend onto the stage stairs from a lift. Large, curved stairs flanked the main center staircase complete with video stairs.
The next act was a celebration of Heritage and Legacy, which featured three legendary Middle Eastern artists singing with a 45 strong orchestra. The orchestra inhabited a specifically designed multilayered performer wall that formed the rear backdrop of the stage.
The fifth act was Connection. Ten dancers performed on a vertical structural wall, creating beautiful choreography to reflect the act of togetherness. The moves of the dancers were enhanced by projection on the gauze in front of them.
The penultimate act, Empowerment, used fabric to create an ephemeral environment. The lead singers were positioned at the heart of the stage surrounded by dancers wrapped in red fabric.
The whole stage is animated when the dancers unwrap themselves from the fabric and move out into the wings and down the thrust to expand the fabrics from the performer wall, down to the audience.
The final scene celebrated Nature in a multi-layered landscape that expressed the theme of the four seasons. With water, snow, falling leaves and petals the scene was an everchanging landscape where the music and visuals evolve for each.
All tubes used for the show we specified to be made from aluminium so that they can be recycled and reused.
Technical Details
// 60M corridor entry space
// First show of its kind in Saudi.
// 500+ light tubes
// Three stage areas
// Eight diverse screens
Show Director Russell Thomas Creative Director Black Skull Creative Producer Done and Dusted Production Manager Done and Dusted / MBC Lighting Design Gurdip Mahal Sound Design Scott Willsallen Video Design & Animation Black Skull Creative / Shop Staging Supplier Visuwalls
