John's Labyrinth
We've been in the space for about a week now - translating the work we did in our small, white, classroom at Boston Conservatory to the warm and expansive room at the Cathedral. It's been really good - and the show looks great in there.
I've had a particular challenge gnawing at the back of mind for months now, which I finally could confront. One of the things that makes the room unique is the presence of a painted labyrinth on the floor. It looks kind of like this one, which comes from Chartres Cathedral:
It is used in a practice called "praying the labyrinth" which is a spiritual journey that is taken during Pentecost. It's not a maze, in that you can't get lost in it - rather a long and winding journey from out to in (or maybe it's in to out, I'm not actually sure). It's a wonderful image - it forms a natural stage boundary - our own "Wooden O", and a nice texture underneath the action.
But I have known from the beginning that I would have to find a way to use it during the production - it is an essential element of the space, and, as you know, we always try to take inspiration from the space we are in. But how? Who would walk it? Constance, when she has lost her boy? Arthur as he tries to escape from prison? John? I had no idea until I got in there and saw the play begin to live in the space.
I'm not going to say what I did - you'll have to see for yourself! All I can say is that I take my hat off to my brilliant sound designer Cam Willard, whom I made write a whole 2 and half minute piece of music with three days before previews start. I hope it works for you...
Ben Evett
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