TK Hay is the designer behind the amazing set for our current production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Originally from Singapore, TK is now in his final year studying Design for Performance.
He talks to us about the challenges of bringing this famous Cathedral to life inside the Richard Burton Theatre.
Creating Notre Dame inside the Richard Burton Theatre. Photo: TK Hay
Quasimodo decides to brave the outside world and meets Esmeralda who will change his life forever. Don't miss the #rwcmd production of this new musical based on #VictorHugo's novel with songs from the Disney film #TheHunchbackofNotreDame 26 June- 3 July https://t.co/5zNXbizXfY pic.twitter.com/0F9cbDuq3g
— Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (@RWCMD) June 14, 2019
My experience here at College has helped me develop my skills in model-making and scenic crafts. In my final year I’ve also been able to flesh out my work in a management role culminating in the design of the College’s production and performance of Hunchback.
"The quality of the experience is something we should all be so proud of in Cardiff. From the venue to the set, live musicians, stunning lighting and those talented performers…' Here's my review of The Hunchback of Notre Dame @RWCMD https://t.co/IFAI8Qhab0 … #theatre #cardiff pic.twitter.com/mqNeW9UQEM
— TheatreJam (@Theatre_Jam) July 2, 2019
All this experience has given me the confidence to recreate the cathedral to bring the musical to life.
It involved creating a 6m-in-diameter stained glass window, based on the North Rose in Notre Dame, which can be found hoisted above the audience in the College’s Richard Burton Theatre.
It’s added to my previous experience of working with designers such as Francis O’Connor, and award-winning College graduates Madeleine Girling and Tom Scutt, as well as a placement at the National Theatre.
One of the biggest challenges has been keeping the designs faithful to Disney’s work. I’m used to designing and creating more intimate sets, rather than the big, bold nature of the Hunchback production’s cathedral. This has meant I’ve had to take the scale into consideration yet still deliver the required detail for the show.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is running at the College until Wednesday 3rd July – limited tickets available
Find out more about TK’s work on his website, www.tkhay.design and more about the Design for Performance course here.
Photos: Kirsten McTernan
Creative Team:
Director: Graham Gill
Musical Director: Michael Morwood
Choreographer: Grace Warner
Set Designer TK Hay
Lighting Designer: Rachel Astall
Sound Designer Nathan Williams
Costume Designer: Yu Lin
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