For Theatre
October 2011
Knifedge’s Nina Dunn and Timothy Bird help bring 1960s story charting the birth of The Beatles to life
David Leveaux’s production, transferred from Glasgow Citizens, offers a video montage of hectic paintings and grainy black-and-white imagery, evoking the art of both Kirchherr and Sutcliffe and lending the action a restless dynamism.
There’s a pale intensity to willowy Gedmintas’ performance as Kirchherr. She’s helped by the sophisticated use of video projection to show her passion for both photography and Sutcliffe. A lesser production would have overdosed on her now famous stills. But here, black-and-white video footage is used to establish a tone that is completely in keeping with Christopher Oram’s stark, impressively fluid design.
The stage adaptation of Iain Softley’s cult 1994 British film, Backbeat, has just made its West End debut. Set in the early 1960s, Backbeat tells the story of the fifth Beatle and original bassist, Stuart Sutcliffe. As the band made its name in the backstreet clubs of Hamburg, artist Sutcliffe fell madly in love with German photographer Astrid Kirchherr. Sutcliffe’s struggle in choosing between his best friend John Lennon and the band, or the woman of his dreams and his art, is the focus of Backbeat. All time Beatles rock ‘n’ roll classics from the era are performed live on stage throughout the production.
Knifedge’s projections – co-designed by Timothy Bird and Nina Dunn – play both a narrative and emotional role in the production. They bring the work of the two main visual artists to life – Sutcliffe’s paintings and Kirchherr’s photographs. The Knifedge team, which also included Lucy Ockenden, Sam Hunt, Aaron Trinder and Vron Harris, worked in close collaboration with the rest of Karl Sydow’s creative team. The show has been substantially reworked for the stage by director David Leveaux.
“The Beatles’ time in Hamburg provided a catalyst for all the protagonists and their art: Stuart as a painter, Astrid as a photographer and the Beatles as a band,” say Nina Dunn of the Knifedge team. “Our projections aim to represent the emotional importance of visual art to the story, and interweave the idea of how Kirchherr, Sutcliffe, their photographs and paintings contribute to the development of the most iconic band of the 20th Century.”
From a technical standpoint, the need to project onto multiple surfaces has called for a sophisticated rig. Knifedge is using four front-of-house projectors that are cross-focused to reduce actor shadow and internal set shadow, as well as an on-stage projector. These are driven by two main Catalyst media servers, with two back ups. Video is triggered via the lighting desk.
Backbeat runs at the Duke of York Theatre, London from 10th October 2011. Co-written by Iain Softley and Stephen Jeffreys, the production is directed by David Leveaux and produced by Karl Sydow, with musical direction by Paul Stacey. Andrew Edwards and Christopher Oram provided the set and costume design, with lighting design by Howard Harrison and David Holmes. Sound design is by Ed Clarke and Paul Groothius
September 2011
Die Frau Ohne Schatten comes to the UK
The Mariinsky’s production of Strauss’ Die Frau Ohne Schatten has been well received at the Edinburgh International Festival.
Here’s what the press had to say about the projections:
The Financial Times ★★★★
Kent’s biggest coup is the use of film, poetic and perfectly integrated, to evoke the spirit world and its power to engulf everyone and everything.
The Telegraph ★★★
Video is intelligently used to suggest magical activity, and the many scene changes are managed with easy fluidity. Visually, it comes as near to solving the problems presented by the libretto as any production I have seen
The Independent ★★★★
The electronic smoke and mirrors of contemporary stagecraft mean that the demands for storms, water and fire which previously made the opera almost unproduceable, can be achieved using video and other technologically-driven devices.
The Scotsman ★★★★★
The Guardian ★★★★
Die Frau was on a different professional level [...], aided by excellent lighting (Tim Mitchell) and effective video projection (Sven Ortel and Nina Dunn).
July 2011
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
July 2011
White Nights Festival, St Petersburg – an appropriate occasion for a premiere of the Mariinsky’s new production of Benjamin Britten’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.
Claudia Solti directed the opera, which was conduceted by Valery Gergiev.
Isabella Bywater’s inventive design – a construction of plastic and mirrored surfaces – proved an interesting challenge for myself (projection design) and Jen Schriever (lighting design) and further challenges were met by the team of aerial acrobats who were flown from the ceiling of the venue but the collaboration of all elements resulted in a very unique look, highly appropriate to the Opera’s fairytale subject matter.
16th June 2011
Emperor and Galilean – National Theatre
Henrik Ibsen’s Emperor and Galilean opened to the press and public last night at the National Theatre (Olivier).
It has been a profound experience being involved in such a monumental work. An undeniably epic and a very brave and well achieved production by Ben Power, the National Theatre, Jonathan Kent and his cast and creative team. I can’t think of another team that would be equal to it.
Click here for information, production photos, interviews and trailer
Reviews are out and, much as predicted, they either love it or hate it.
Here is a selection, starting with an early tweet from previews:
Sophie Waghorn“really enjoyed emperorandgalilean, Andrew Scott is fantastic as Julian.The sets and visuals are brilliant! everyone needs to see it!”
It is [...] breathtakingly staged. Paul Brown’s design makes brilliant use of the Olivier’s drum-revolve to whisk us from Ephesian cellars to Gallic plains and Persian deserts. Modern costumes and film of aerial bombardment underscore the topicality of a play that deals both with Middle Eastern conflict and the struggle to achieve a world beyond faith.
These great events and rigorous journeys are played out on a monumental set that thrillingly exploits the Olivier’s mechanics, back projections and costumes mixing the fourth century with the twenty-first to draw uneasy parallels. Not an easy evening, but rewarding one.
Paul Brown’s design [makes] copious use of the drum revolve and screen projections, Jonathan Dove’s music and a cast of more than 50 show what can be done on the Olivier stage.
The Official London Theatre Guide
Jonathan Kent’s production is a feast for the eyes. The rich, operatic staging is brought to colossal life by Paul Brown’s design that sees the Olivier’s revolve stage put to full use. Everything from the Persian desert to Athens, gruesome, bloody sacrificial temples and modest churches are created with the help of Knifedge’s video projections and Mark Henderson’s atmospheric lighting.
[...]there are some spectacular computer-generated graphics, which deliberately subvert time with anachronisms such as tanks and helicopters. The whole looks lavish and is consistently engrossing.
A few stunning performances and some awesome visuals create an overwhelming performance that deserves a large round of applause at final curtain call
February 2011
Cleopatra – Northern Ballet
Cleopatra, the new Ballet by David Nixon and Claude-Michel Schoenberg, opened to a delighted audience at the Leeds Grand Theatre on Saturday 26th February.
Here’s what The Times had to say about the design:
“The stage picture [...] is a triumph. Christopher Giles’s white walls and central staircase are wonderfully elegant in their own right, while Nina Dunn’s video projections seamlessly evoke the sense of place with a brilliantly delicate touch. Tim Mitchell’s lighting is gorgeous and sun-baked; Nixon’s costumes are lightweight, colour-coded and very handsome.”
You can find more information here:
http://northernballet.com/confidential/blog.php
September 2010
Armstrong & Miller Live Tour
Nina worked with Knifedge to design and produce video & projection content for comedy duo, Armstrong & Miller’s 2010 UK tour.
Working closely with the comedians and with Sean Power, the director, and Alice Power, the designer, Nina and the Knifedge team created, shot and animated a range of standalone new material video items for the show as well as supporting the action on stage with more integrated effects.
April 2010
Katy Brand’s Big Ass Tour is on its way!
Visual Design & Projection Content Production by Knifedge: The Creative Network
Projection Design – Nina Dunn for Knifedge, Set design – Ellan Parry for Knifedge.
Katy Brand’s Big Ass Tour from Nina Dunn on Vimeo.
The tour opened successfully at Brighton’s Theatre Royal with a great audience and happy teams all round. You can find links to reviews on this page.
November 2009
Die Frau Ohne Schatten
Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg
Jonathan Kent – Director:
“[...]how really thrilling and evocative the projections were. [...]you gave us a really rich, dream-like, complex visual narrative.”
Nina co-designed projections for the Opera “Die Frau Ohne Schatten”, that opened at the Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg in November. In April 2011, it won two Golden Masks for Best Opera Production and Best Design.