PROPS AND SET
These are the physical things that an actor uses on stage, a magic lamp for Aladdin, for example or panels representing a kitchen.
When the director starts working on a script – months and often almost a year before the show is actually performed – they start to make lists of what things are needed. These can be items such as:
- Scenery
- Shaving foam (for custard pies)
- Swords for a fight scene
- Flowers for a garden
Since the BVP isn’t a professional group and doesn’t receive any funding, this means that whatever we need has to either come from our existing collection of props, or begged, borrowed or made as cheaply as possible.
Our Creative Director makes some wonderfully imaginative props and scenery, usually by herself and sometimes during working parties when a few volunteers who enjoy getting covered in glue and paint, meet for a few hours to help.
After a show, the props that we may use again need to be mended, cleaned and stored until they are needed again. If we decide to keep a prop, then it has to be added to our catalogue which is used to make sure that the props are returned after the show.
It’s great fun and very satisfying to see something that you’ve made bringing a scene to life on stage. If this is the sort of thing that you enjoy doing, then please email us and let us know!
