The Last Summer by Declan Hughes at The Gate Theatre, Dublin

An interesting and engaging piece of new writing by Declan Hughes set in Glenageary - Dalkey during 1977 and thirty years later, 2007.  Toby Frow’s interpretation and direction of the production was engaging and entertaining. The opening light change and low musical introduction prepared the receptive minds of the audience for transportation into the opening act. The performance area was framed by black wing flats and a black false proscenium.

The set, a satisfactory manifestation of the Scenographer, Robert Innes Hopkins collaboration with the Director, Lighting Designer and cast; gives the cast, the production team and the audience a very satisfactory design concept to work with.

 

The story is set over two days in August 1977 and two days thirty years later August 2007. Needless to say there are two versions of the characters the teenagers of 1977 and the adults of 2007. Both groups appropriately and ably dressed in the style of the period by Costume designer Joan O’Cleary.

 The rotation of the set by the younger or older characters (depending on which time the scene is set in) when accompanied by Lighting designer, Paul Keogan’s subtle, atmospheric light changes and Sound Designer Richard Hammarton’s soundscapes bestows a “Time Machine” quality to the set.  

The rotating central set pieces of a garden wall (both front and back) with no gate in the opening, all mounted on an irregular shaped trucked polygon rostrum, rotated smoothly about a hidden central pivot on the deck of the stage. The arching garden/kerb side branches and the “perspective diminishing” street lights set against a dark background behind the acting area focused the audience’s attention on the performance area.

This set works and works well both as a very versatile, appropriate and visually satisfying environment supporting the script the director and the performers’ interpretation.

 

The work of Costume Designer Joan O’Cleary maps the characters and their roles into the two periods and the location in which the play is set. It is challenging to design for plays set in the recent or not too distant past. Although there is plenty of visual reference for the period, the challenge is to dress the performers appropriately to their character, the time, place, socioeconomic position and in doing so not to be caught out in choosing the historically correct item which looks visually incorrect. That is, unless some such item is required by the script.

 Through her Costume Designs, Joan establishes the characters in the style of each period, their age, their gender, their socio-economic standing, occupation and their demographic and again her work contributes hugely to establishing the where and when of this play.

The resetting of the furniture, dressing props and hand props by the cast between the acts was well done and maintained the theatrical illusion.

Declan Hughes, Writer:           http://www.declanhughesbooks.com/

 

Toby Frow, Director:               Toby Frow - Casarotto – Home

www.casarotto.co.uk/assets/x/50675.pdf

Robert Innes Hopkins: http://123movies.info/biography/Hopkins,_Robert_Innes

Joan O’Cleary, Costume:        http://www.lisarichards.ie/designers/joan-ocleary-designer

Paul Keogan Lighting :            http://paulkeogan.com/

Gate Theatre:                          http://www.gatetheatre.ie/production/TheLastSummer2012