City Lights

The show takes the form of a idiosyncratic musical that takes place in the space of a film studio and follows the plot of the 1931 film. The aesthetic of the stage design is influenced by the 1930s era and Charlie Chaplin's film in the main design lines , in the choice of furniture and objects, in colors, materials and patterns. The constant changes of scenes resulted in a volume of props that move in and out of the stage, rotate, hang or drag and create the stage space of each action.

The central idea of ​​the scenography is reinforced by the decision to depict the spaces fragmentarily, with only the necessary elements that need to be recorded by the imaginary cinematographic lens. Individual elements such as doors, windows, steering wheels or seats create the spatial context, on which the lens focuses in each scene. Realistic depiction and abstraction co-exist in such a way as to convey to the viewer the full picture with the minimum possible elements. When the larger volumes rotate on stage one can see their construction structure or support frame. Cameras, moving lights, clappers along with the exposed drips and the theater stripped of black cloths and gases, complete the picture. The show closes with Charlie Chaplin wandering through the city, among buildings that represent a miniature of it. The buildings rotate and light up, a large bright full moon appears between them, and the protagonist meets the girl in the window of her flower shop.

The scenography of the show was awarded with two prizes (2023 Hellenic Association of Theatre and Performing Arts critics Scenography Award & 2023 Athinorama Magazine Audience 1st Scenography Award).

Title City Lights

by Charlie Chaplin

Program Set Design

Premiere National Theatre of Greece

REX THEATRE- STAGE "MARIKA KOTOPOULI"

Date 30 November 2022

Adaptation, direction, choreography Amalia Bennett

Adaptation, dramaturgical advisor Nikita Milivojevic

Adaptation, music Thodoris Economou

Set design Tina Tzoka

Costume design Angelos Mentis

Lighting design Christina Thanasoula

Assistant to the set designer Stavros Balis

Awards

2023 Hellenic Association of Theatre and Performing Arts critics Scenography Award

2023 Athinorama Magazine Audience 1st Scenography Award

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