I was commissioned to create two 4.5m high collapsible vases and two 3.5m radius fans. The vases folded down like paper lampshades and were concealed in a large box from which they sprung up in a ta-dah moment. The fans, which lay folded at the bottom of two staircases, were pulled up by actors as they ran up the stairs to open them. I made the props in plain fabric for another scenic artist to paint using designs drawn by Grayson Perry’s daughter. This production starred Sir Ian McKellen as Widow Twankey.
Inspired by John Napier’s fabulous costumes for Widow Twankey, I suggested creating a paper doll cut-out for the programme with interchangeable costumes which I subsequently devised. This became the programme centrefold.
