THE RIVER

Set & Costume Design
The Wardrobe Theatre

[2024]

Jez Butterworth’s The River is a piece set in the hollowness of a troubled man’s riverside cabin. Framed in snapshots of undisclosed time, the narrative follows his relationships with two women and the immersions of cycles, reflection and severance, all while lingering on the limerence of tangible possessions. This Lynchian inspired design was laden with props of individual significance; from a weighty fish, to a defaced and framed drawing of a woman, to a special edition of Virginia Woolf’s The Lighthouse, each told a chapter of the lives that characters depicted on stage. This also extended into the costumes, with The Other Woman emerging in one scene wearing a bespoke red dress, and The Man being intermittently seen in long fishing waders. The piece was contained within dilapidated framework which cast creeping shadows across carpeted floor.

I worked very closely with all production departments for this show - from costume, to production arts, to stage management, it was fascinating to watch the production be brought to life and a pleasure to be immersed in the work of so many talented people. The production was fantastically directed by Jon-Luke Goodman, and his extensive work with the cast, sound and lighting really helped to tie the design together.

Director Jon-Luke Goodman
Costume Supervisor Eleanor Finlay
Sound Design Liam Twigg
Lighting Design Tom Barge & Chloe Brine
Stage Management Kayleigh Cooper, Angharad Stemp & Raph Hampton
Prop Supervisor Katrina Summer-Richards
Construction Manager Jocelyn Chen
Production Photos Craig Fuller

The Other Woman returns late at night after being reported missing

Photo of The River model box close up. Photo by Ally Williams

This production was very focused on Green Book practices and sustainable material sourcing. It was also cost-effective, and in keeping with the worn-down nature of the piece, using reused set elements was vital in their natural degradation and wear.

From my final design, most set pieces and props were able to be sourced from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s store, including rugs, frames, crockery and cutlery. Set pieces such as the opening table were bought second-hand externally and modified by the props assistants both for ageing the wood, and for installing lighting strips underneath the lid. I drew the table in AutoCAD for construction reference, shown below.

Costume-wise, all items of clothing were also supplied by the school, or by the students and nothing was bought for the rail. The red dress worn by Laura Jennifer-Banks was gorgeously made by Eleanor Finlay - the costume supervisor for the show - from my design, using materials from the department’s supply.