Theatrical Designing “Challenging Work”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31377, 24 May 1967, Page 7

Theatrical Designing “Challenging Work”

Designing for the theatre provided an opportunity for challenging and exciting work, Robert Verßerkmose, an American scenic designer who will join the Canterbury Theatre Trust’s company as scenic designer, said in Christchurch this week. Mr Verßerkmose, a freelance designer who has been recently working in New York, said that although the tradition of the theatre had gradually been built up id some American cities such af New York and Chicago, few* persons attended perform ances and musical productiys were still the most popuhr. Productions, too, were becoming more and more euensive, he said, and fewer Auld afford to attend the tyatre regularly. / He agreed that the* was still interest in seriouActing, but much of this entertainment was provided byEnglish companies, usually ipm London. f Mr Verßerkmosezsaid that there was not a rfat opportunity for oversea designers to work in the Uy! ted States, particularly in Ntw York. It was, however, earfer for Americans to get extracts overseas. / Designers with overseas qualifications /and training were usually Required to sit a further exmnination in the United Stat*. This was particularly haftt and could cost up to 10W dollars, he said. “Most / contracts are arranged /through personal contacts »nd a designer will become inown for his particular ibility in a certain field." / Mr Verßerkmose said that he was/not specialised in any particidar field of designing, but preferred to vary his work. He is experienced in costume and set designing, has done ballet work in Mexico, and has also designed sets? for a number of fulllength horror films. One of the most interesting of these had been “The Horror of Party Beach," he said. This film had been produced at very low cost and had “something for everybody.” Mr Verßerkmose said that when he began scenic designing he built many of the sets himself. Props at present were still very expensive, and

» nwny, fSUncki as antiques r needed/or Victorian produc- , tions *re hard to obtain. i Mr Verßerkmose will de- > sign Jone production each , mon* with the Canterbury s Thye company. In New • Yof he designed one products* each week. ■is recent productions In- ! ciue "Julius Caesar” and , ‘fhe Taming of the Shrew” .|*r the New York Shakejjpearean Festival, and “The Ayjama Game," a musical [which appeared on Broadway under the production of the Town and Country Musicals in Rochester, New York.