'A Summer's Day'
by Slawomir Mrozek

with:
Neil Warhurst as Nieud
Peter Tate as Ud
Kirsten Cooke as The Lady

directed by David Graham-Young
designed by David Burrows

The Old Red Lion Theatre, Islington. March/April 2000

Act One. A secluded spot in the park.
Plans for suicide are thwarted
by the distraction of a lady who passes by.

Act Two.  A cafe.
Conversation, competition and lemonade.

Act Three. The beach.

As the theatre is so small, (made more claustrophobic by completely black floor, walls and ceiling), and all the implied locations were exteriors - the park and the beach - I concentrated on suggesting an expansive acting area, principally by using a series of 8' high, 4 metres wide mirrors.

I also introduced a slightly raised (25mm) stage floor of laminated oak planking, surrounded by a similarly toned 1.1m border of carpet. The carpet was intended principally for the entrance of the Lady (see above and the movie below) who glided silently, in a dappled green light, around the two transfixed men.

The publicity leaflet.  I hadn't worked for the Contemporary Stage Company before and I was impressed by the overall thoroughness and professionalism of its organisation. The budget was good and everyone was paid, unusually in these days of proliferating profit shares.  The leaflet, poster and programme were well coordinated and designed. Apparently programme sales were, for the Old Red Lion, unusually high.