Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2007 - 71

book
reviews
also asked to discuss their approaches to designing Hamlet or Waiting for Godot.
Over the course of these dozen interviews,
we see what makes each of these designers
unique. We also discover a number of commonalities in their approach to design. While
the source material itself-whether it is a text,
an opera, or a piece of music-is unanimously

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DESIGN

the springboard for design, the steps beyond
that vary as much as the end product of each
designer.
It is fascinating to hear how these designers begin the process, whether their responses
are architectural, analytical, or emotional.
The contrasts between John Lee Beatty's initial
sub-sketches, for example, or John Conklin's

TECHNOLOGY
SUMMER

2007

dramaturgical dissection of the material, or
Constance Hoffman's process of collecting images provide young designers with a thorough
look at a variety of ways to approach a project.
A series of sketches or photographs accompany each interview. The annotated captions
with the artwork reinforce their relationship to
the designer's process. The strongest illustrations are those directly tied to the interviews.
These allow the reader to visualize and not just
imagine a color choice or a sketching process.
But even examples less tied to the actual interview are a welcome addition to the information
in the text.
While primarily focusing on American
plays and musicals, Sculpting Space in the Theatre also includes comments on working in an
array of art forms in both Europe and the United
States. Several designers discuss working in opera. Designers with a significant career in dance
offer anecdotes and insights which makes for a
richer exploration of their styles. The work of
George Tsypin is further understood within the
context of his training as an architect. Howell
Binkley's approach to following movement on
stage and focusing the audience's eye is clearly a
result of his work in dance.
The nature of collaboration is another
theme strongly presented. Nearly every designer comments on how his or her work can
be inspired by the director and the rest of the
creative team. Developing a mutual vocabulary
and trust is key, whether that takes the form of
Beatty's decision to draw on his color sketches
in early meetings with directors to make sure
they feel free to disagree with him or Hoffman's
reluctance to sketch too early in order to stay
open to the ideas of all collaborators. Reading
both Beverly Emmons' and Ming Cho Lee's experience with Liviu Ciulei helps to clarify their
opinion of the role of the director in the creative
process and to highlight the differences in their
approach.
This well-examined relationship between
director and designer makes Ebrahimian's
choice to conclude the book with an interview
with Robert Wilson particularly strong. A recognized innovator in both fields, Wilson's selfproclaimed "own theatrical language" ties back

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