Set Design of Big Love. Group 38 Project

1. • The play, Big Love is set in a villa in Italy. Naturally, it
has a somewhat old school sort of setting added with
the new elements.
• Charles Mee makes it easy to rearrange and
redistribute the items on the stage with the scenes of
chaos included in the play

2. • The play needs a lot of space firstly so as to accommodate the throwing to the
floor and standing back up, the thrashing of items, and the number of people in
the play.
• (Bare in mind that although this play can be acted almost the exact way the
author intended, fifty grooms and fifty brides is almost impossible as such a huge
cast is unnecessary and would take up too much space)
• The set designer would have to put into consideration the main elements such as
the chairs, the tub, the piano, the tables, the items needed to be thrashed, and so
on
• (S)He would also have to take into consideration the time it takes to move the
items in and out during the play without any lag in the actions.

3. • The first scene would involve a tub where Lydia comes to relax after the journey.
• Two other chairs can be set in place at the sides to accommodate a later scene
without the hassle of more rearrangements.
• A fan strong enough to act as wind would also need to be in place while the tub
remains.
• The first thrashing done by Thyona would be done with items that seem to be
together but break apart on impact with the ground.
• These items should be set on a small circular table with no chair around it at one
end of the stage.

4. • Bella can walk in with a light wooden chair (to illustrate the noise pointed out by
Charles Mee) and her basket of thirteen tomatoes.
• She can move the chair to beside the empty round table where she chooses to
save or drop her tomatoes.
• When Bella leaves, after her tomato fiasco, Piero enters and cleans up the mess
his mother made, as well as Thyona’s initial mess. The stage is set again.
• As the ladies talk, the fan blows creating the illusion of the helicopter pressure
which is accompanied by a soundtrack that aims to complement the wind.

5. • After the conversation between the three main brides and the three main
grooms, as the brides seem to perform a dance of despair (throwing themselves
on the floor and getting back up), the bathtub can be taken out and replaced with
a piano, with an extra chair in place to accommodate Guiliano in a later scene.
• Whatever is played on that piano does not necessarily have to be what is actually
being heard, that could be a recorded soundtrack.
• While that is being moved in, a new set of items for Oed’s tantrum should also be
put in place, reducing lag time.
• Bare in mind, that as much as possible, the middle is left open for the various
despair dances throughout the play.

6. • The change of scenery from Nikos, Constantine and Oed’s dance of despair,
“Goddammit,” is replaced with two mirrors and some sort of centre arch in place
of the piano.
• As the ladies get ready for the wedding, singing and dancing around the mirrors
with Eleanor, small circular tables are added all through the stage by
maidservants who help the sisters get ready, with two chairs around each and
items to be thrown around.
• Nikos’, Oed’s and Constantine’s tables need to have a piece of cake each.
• The sides/entrances should be left wide open for easy entrance and exit.
• The foodfight can ensue, while Lydia and Nikos enjoy a corner, people push tables
and everything else down and the house owners exit from the stage for a later
reentry.