The Motley Theatre Design
Course is an intensive one year course,
directed by Alison Chitty with course
tutors Anthony Lamble and Ashley Martin
-Davis, administrated by Catrin Martin.
It runs annually from September to
July with breaks at Christmas and Easter.
 The Course caters for students of postgraduate level who wish to specialise in
theatre design. The majority of successful applicants will have an art school,
academic or theatre background. We are always interested in applicants from other
disciplines but they must be able to express themselves visually. We look of
course for talent, but take great account of temperament and attitude and an
ability to work both independently and as a member of a group.
The Course has been recognised nationally and internationally for the quality
of its graduates since its inception in 1966. The teaching is based on a philosophy
of respect for the text and the performer and a belief in the integrity of the
performance and design. Students are encouraged to develop skills which combine
practicality and imagination.
 Over the years the Motley Theatre Design Course has provided the theatre, film
and television industries with many talented designers and technicians including:
Paul Brown, Alexandra Byrne, Tom Cairns, Frank Conway, Kandis Cook, Es Devlin,
Hayden Griffin, Penny Hadrill, Jeremy Herbert, Gemma Jackson, Anthony McDonald,
David Short, Ultz, Brien Vahey, Neil Warmington.
Led by Alison Chitty, the instructors on the Course
are all practising professionals. Recent visiting directors
and designers have included: Danny Boyle, Tom Cairns,
Bob Crowley, Bill Dudley, Richard Eyre, Bill Gaskill,
Peter Gill, David Gothard, Vicky Hallam, David Hare,
Jane Howell, Nick Hytner, Mike Leigh, Vicky Mortimer
and Simon Usher. Regular Staff include: John Burgess,
Ann Curtis, Gary Thorne, Anthony Waterman and Tim Wright.
the training:
Work
on the Course is project based. Five or six projects are covered each year, four
or five of which are plays and one is always an opera. Every project is led by
a different professional director and focuses on the development and presentation
of designs for scenery and costumes.
Students are encouraged not to accept the
easy and conventional solution but through rigorous
research develop their own interpretation. At the end
of each project experienced professionals are invited
to review the work. Each student presents their model
and costume drawings to the group, the project director
and the regular staff, which gives plenty of opportunity
for informal discussion and assessment. Parallel with
the major projects are regular classes in:
- The history
and cut of period costume
- Character
and costume drawing
- The history
of theatre
- Observational and life
drawing
- Model
making and technical drawing
There
are additional short intensive
courses in:
- Textile printing and
dyeing
- Scenic painting
- Lighting
- Mask-making
Informal
discussion and regular theatre
and exhibition visits form an important
part of the programme. Occasional
sessions provide a further practical
introduction to working in the
profession - The Horse's Mouth
is a forum for discussion with
a wide range of theatre and theatre-related
professionals from performers to
accountants, production managers
to costume supervisors and agents
to union representatives. Every
opportunity is taken to give each
student the chance to design a
small production in collaboration
with a drama or opera school, TIE
or fringe company. |
The school would like to thank Lord
Lloyd Webber, Really Useful Theatres
and The Mia Trust for their generous
support.
|
