We explored a variety of materials and crafts to create a wide range of props for this theatre performance project.
Four Little Fish
Upper stage small fish
The overall design of two of the small fish is similar to that of the big fish, but we used material packages to make the process much simpler to save unnecessary work. These two small fish have light strips wrapped around their interiors, enabling them to emit a faint glow on stage, enhancing the visual effect. They will be on stage in three of the acts.
Lantern Fish
The other two small fish are decorated on top of the lanterns to mimic the form of a fish. The red fish is controlled by Hongpei Cao and performs in real time, with its performance projected on the left screen. The pink fish is used as a live decoration.
Decorative Goldfish
We also made decorative goldfish. We used glossy cardboard and drew goldfish patterns on it. Although the original plan was to hang these goldfish on the stage, we finally decided to place them on the wall by the passageway for safety reasons.
Balloons
We hung different coloured balloons at the entrance, including transparent, light blue and dark blue. The transparent balloons were also filled with tricolour wool inside. When viewers wish to enter, their faces are blocked by the balloons, which creates a suffocating, crowded and oppressive feeling, symbolising the crowded and oppressive existence of carp in the lake.
Foam Tape on the Floor
We noticed during rehearsals that the audience would have trouble determining where they wanted to stand, so we decided to place a foam strip on the floor to differentiate between the stage and the auditorium. The foam paper will be painted with a blue water pattern, suggesting that the story takes place in water.
