HUMAN ANIMALS
2021 • Caird Studio, Cardiff, UK
• playwright: Stef Smith • director: Georgia Green • set design: Ola Kłos • costume design: Jiang Cui •
• lighting design: Angharad Evans • sound design: Gareth Swindail-Parry • photos: Kristen McTernan •
• cast: Kathleen Collins as Lisa • Mia Gill as Alex • Grace Lilley as Nancy • Théo Marceau as John •
• Yung Đ. Nguyễn as Si • Tom Victor as Jamie •
London is under attack. Plagued by disease infested foxes, mice, and dive-bombing pigeons. Roads are closed, parks burned, and with humans barricaded in their homes, the city’s residents become embroiled in a debate over animal rights
and the mass-destruction of animals. An image of the ecological crisis
presented by Stef Smith in her thought-provoking drama. .
Initial sketches made while reading the text for the first time
Initial visuals : Working on the potential dynamics of the space.
Human Animals is an invitation towards a distorted world which seems both recognizable and abstract at the same time . It leaves an imprint of fear and dread and the events give flashbacks of the global pandemic situation back in 2020. The omnipresent environmental disaster provokes smaller crises which influence the whole society as a group as well as everyone individually. Stepping into Human Animals world means entering a broken place where people are looking for answers while fighting with their demons, morals and beliefs.
Photoshopped hand-free drawings
created in order to see more and less realistic world that can be built within the set.
A birds-eye view on the set - shift within the set
There was a need for a change within the set as after every few dialogue scenes a monologue depicting current situation takes place. The idea of using UV tapes was chosen after taking into consideration all difficulties connected to a low ceiling studio space with no possibility of flying things in.
Three different areas were created for the world of Human Animals.
The original text indicates over 10 different places of action.
