Starting from Scratch VI. The Set

For me, when I think about how you would go about creating a stage set for a production of “The Ugly Bug Ball”, the most important factor would have to be the scale. The play is set in the insect world, so we’re obviously looking at roots, foliage, undergrowth, flowers... and we obviously need to go big.

In fact, I think you could have a lot of fun with the stage design. So some ideas:

•  Painted backdrops (perhaps thin gauze, strung on taut wire, to make it easy to change scenes) showing large roots or foliage. Use colour/different images to reflect the mood of a given scene: brown (sad) roots at the beginning and an explosion of colourful flowers for the ball scene perhaps. Ideas for the kind of mural that could be used:

•   Use the kids themselves to: 

• Wear large flowers, garlands of leaves, twigs and branches round their neck
• Hold up silhouettes of rocks, bushes, branches etc to create instant, temporary atmosphere
• Wave real branches & foliage

• Create a sense of perspective by making rocks and bushes to ‘layer’ in front of the backdrop. Make out of card (propped up or held), papier mache (over chicken wire) or polystyrene. Use hinged cut outs at the front of the stage to pull up and down at will like a pop up card:
• Hang real (or plastic) foliage at the front of the stage to frame the scene and add detail or use throughout

• Cut out leaf and petal shapes from cheap household sponges and dip into paint to create quick but effective background foliage

• Alternatively, experiment with projections of foliage and flowers to create a mood instantly

Image from Akimbo