Comments on: ‘Children of Medea’ http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/fringe/2008/07/18/hipshot-children-of-medea/ Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:58:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Sheffy Gordon http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/fringe/2008/07/18/hipshot-children-of-medea/#comment-10956 Sheffy Gordon Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:52:22 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/fringe/?p=169#comment-10956 TD- With a show as fantastic as it was, it was hard to find anything to be critical of, and, for the most part, the lighting design accentuated the characters. I understood that design was meant to highlight each character, but, as we agree, she sometimes rapidly switches between characters, especially at the end, hence the "strobe" effect. I was unaware of technical troubles on opening night, but if you say that contributed to some of the effect, then it can certainly be forgiven. I would like to congratulate this show for winning the FringeFest Directors' Award, as well as my "Pick of the Fringe". I'm sure this show has a bright (and colorful) future ahead of it, so I encourage people to check it out in other venues. TD-
With a show as fantastic as it was, it was hard to find anything to be critical of, and, for the most part, the lighting design accentuated the characters. I understood that design was meant to highlight each character, but, as we agree, she sometimes rapidly switches between characters, especially at the end, hence the “strobe” effect.
I was unaware of technical troubles on opening night, but if you say that contributed to some of the effect, then it can certainly be forgiven.

I would like to congratulate this show for winning the FringeFest Directors’ Award, as well as my “Pick of the Fringe”.
I’m sure this show has a bright (and colorful) future ahead of it, so I encourage people to check it out in other venues.

]]> By: TD http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/fringe/2008/07/18/hipshot-children-of-medea/#comment-10742 TD Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:07:18 +0000 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/fringe/?p=169#comment-10742 Dear Sheffy, I can't second your praise of Sue Jin Song enough; her talent is truly profound, and her willingness to attack material that is literally as old as theatre, as new and creative as anything I've seen to date, and truly dark and shakingly honest is nothing sort of beautiful. I'd also like to highlight the wonderful work of Craig Wallace, the director, who subtly yet powerfully helped Sue Jin sculpt and tone her piece to the true art you saw. As the lighting designer for Children of Medea, I'd just like to thank you for your fantastic comments about the play. I certainly see what you mean about the design and agree that Sue is strong enough to get by without it. i struggled with the choice to visually differentiate the worlds of the characters. I thought that content of disjointed identity in the piece could mirror the structure and lighting and help prompt a more immediate audience recognition in addition to providing a successful visual balance and variation. It was very ambitious and, due to the time and repertory constraints, very risky and difficult to implement. I tried to be honest about the possibility that I was injecting my own ego into the design in a way detrimental to the show. Ultimately I felt that we could implement the complex design and that it would help the show. the performance you saw was technically troubled, due in large part to my own behind-schedule status and board operating. I will be the first to admit that I could have used more time and subtlety. I hope that at best, this lighting serves the show and people find it successful, but I truly appreciate your sensitivity to the artistic, thematic and technical content of the show, and your evaluation of the design rather than the imperfect execution. respectfully, --TD Smith-- Dear Sheffy,

I can’t second your praise of Sue Jin Song enough; her talent is truly profound, and her willingness to attack material that is literally as old as theatre, as new and creative as anything I’ve seen to date, and truly dark and shakingly honest is nothing sort of beautiful. I’d also like to highlight the wonderful work of Craig Wallace, the director, who subtly yet powerfully helped Sue Jin sculpt and tone her piece to the true art you saw.

As the lighting designer for Children of Medea, I’d just like to thank you for your fantastic comments about the play. I certainly see what you mean about the design and agree that Sue is strong enough to get by without it. i struggled with the choice to visually differentiate the worlds of the characters. I thought that content of disjointed identity in the piece could mirror the structure and lighting and help prompt a more immediate audience recognition in addition to providing a successful visual balance and variation. It was very ambitious and, due to the time and repertory constraints, very risky and difficult to implement. I tried to be honest about the possibility that I was injecting my own ego into the design in a way detrimental to the show. Ultimately I felt that we could implement the complex design and that it would help the show. the performance you saw was technically troubled, due in large part to my own behind-schedule status and board operating. I will be the first to admit that I could have used more time and subtlety.

I hope that at best, this lighting serves the show and people find it successful, but I truly appreciate your sensitivity to the artistic, thematic and technical content of the show, and your evaluation of the design rather than the imperfect execution.

respectfully,
–TD Smith–

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