Macbeth
written by William Shakespeare
set design concept by Jade Lo
venue: Griffin Theater
Set Design II, Spring 2023 Designing for acts IV and V of Macbeth presents the challenge of creating a space that can easily and quickly establish a range of indoor and outdoor settings – Birnam Wood, Macbeth’s castle, and multiple parts of a battlefield – all in a way that does not disrupt the flow of the action. My design is a system comprising two walls of pivoting panels. Varying surface treatments and panel movements shape volumes of space to convey multiple settings: seamless wooden walls mark Macbeth and his army’s disguise amidst the cover of Birnam Woods, the introduction of unfinished plastered walls in a more open plan signify the transition into the solitude of Macbeth’s castle, then a combination of the two create a sense of frenzy and chaos for the final battle scene.
1/2” scale color model storyboards edited in Photoshop
A drafting plate detailing the two main wall units.