By Candlelight. George Nichols is the Assistant Director for Edward II and After Edward. He is

By Candlelight. 

George Nichols is the Assistant Director for Edward IIandAfter Edward. He is writing a blog series about the processes and ideas in these two plays.

In this blog, George gives insight into how candles will be used to light Edward II which will be staged in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.

Obviously, the importance of lighting in theatre goes far beyond just allowing you to see the actors on the stage (although that is a vital function!). A casual theatregoer may not realise how significant lighting is, and how it fundamentally shapes the tone and feel of a production. In a conventional production, a good creative team work closely, so that action, space, sound and lighting are inextricable. Often, if a lighting design is doing its job you won’t notice it at all. Lighting at its best is a fluid accompaniment to movement, a best friend to design and a vehicle for expression.

So how does the unique candle lighting of the Sam Wanamaker playhouse affect the way we stage texts? Well, firstly it’s important not to think of candles as a restriction. Even though you have a very small range of paintbrushes, you have a huge and varied palette to paint from. Anyone who has seen Macbeth, which is running currently, will be able to attest to how ingeniously candlelight can be used.

In the playhouse there are six three-tiered chandeliers that can be lowered or raised, several sconces fixed to pillars which provide a small amount of light, hand-held candles and torches to be carried by actors as well as long footlights that sit at the front of the stage and reflect light upwards. All these light sources can be used in conjunction with each other, and each different combination has a different effect.

We’re always thinking about these different effects during Edward II rehearsals. The locations in the play all have different qualities of light, both literally and tonally, as we move from coronations to battlefields and abbeys to dungeons. Lighting candles takes time, so to flood the space with light or get rid of a lot of light you need to think of ways of incorporating candle lighting or snuffing into the action of the play. The lighting of candles can be a joy to watch, but it can quickly become panicked if a candle won’t light, so we have sessions in the space to make sure the cast all feel comfortable with lighting and holding candles. Open flames can be dangerous, so in these sessions, actors are reminded not to use petroleum based hair products, lest they go up in flames!

There are numerous challenges and quirks that come with candlelight. For example, a blackout can feel intense in a normal theatre, but in the playhouse, we also must keep in mind the fact that everyone is very close together, and that the smell of beeswax and sometimes incense can add another layer of intensity. This makes the use of darkness more of a statement. It’s pretty difficult to do in the middle of a half because you then have to work out a way to bring a lot of light back in to the space. However, we’re very fortunate that our director, Nick Bagnall, has a lot of experience of working in the playhouse. He’s able to quickly turn these challenges to our advantage, reinforcing the principle of seeing candlelight not as a restriction but as a unique opportunity.

Edward II opens in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse on 7 February.