Exhibition
Professional Designers
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Becky Minto
The 306 : Dawn
Selected Category: Set Design, Costume Design
Category: Set Design, Costume Design, Space Design
Design Statement
The 306:Dawn was a new piece of music theatre. Based on real events, it charted the journey of three of the British soldiers who were executed for cowardice, desertion and mutiny during World War I (1914-18)
The soldiers were held prisoner in barns in France prior to their trial and execution. The National Theatre of Scotland is a Theatre Without Walls. Our production manager found a barn in the Perthshire countryside, it was a blank canvas.
The contemporary Installation was steeped in historical accuracy. The ground plan was a trench from the Somme. The duckboards that divide the spaces were built to military specifications. The performance platforms were at eye-height for the audience, as if they were looking over the top of a trench. There were 306 trees around the space which on close inspection revealed themselves as 6m high Enfield rifles, used by the soldiers. 200 wooden chairs were charred, burnt as the trees in the Somme were.
The contemporary Installation was steeped in historical accuracy. The ground plan was a trench from the Somme. The duckboards that divide the spaces were built to military specifications. The performance platforms were at eye-height for the audience, as if they were looking over the top of a trench. There were 306 trees around the space which on close inspection revealed themselves as 6m high Enfield rifles, used by the soldiers. 200 wooden chairs were charred, burnt as the trees in the Somme were.
Gallery
<Photo Credit> Manuel Harlan
<Photo Credit> Manuel Harlan
<Photo Credit> Helena McVarish
<Photo Credit> Manuel Harlan
<Photo Credit> Manuel Harlan/National Theatre of Scotland
<Photo Credit> Helena McVarish
<Photo Credit> National Theatre of Scotland
Becky Minto
Becky was trained in Theatre Design at The Welsh College of Music and Drama and in Interior Design at Liverpool College. She teaches part-time on the Performance Costume Degree/MFA course at Edinburgh College of Art.
She has lived and worked in Scotland for over 25 years as a set and costume designer for companies across Scotland, the UK and Europe. She has designed a wide range of productions for main-house and touring productions, dance and aerial performances.
She has collaborated with the National Theatre of Scotland and Walk The Plank on site- specific and large outdoor events. She was Associate Designer for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for Glasgow 2104 Commonwealth Games. Her designs for The National Theatre of Scotland’s multi- location Shetland based production Ignition and Iron- Oxide’s site-specific production of White Gold were selected to be part of the exhibition Make Believe/ UK Design for Performance shown at the Prague Quadrennial 2015 and The V&A museum, London.
She has been nominated for Best Design at the Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland 3 times, most recently for her design for Great Expectations for Dundee Rep in 2106.
She has collaborated with the National Theatre of Scotland and Walk The Plank on site- specific and large outdoor events. She was Associate Designer for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for Glasgow 2104 Commonwealth Games. Her designs for The National Theatre of Scotland’s multi- location Shetland based production Ignition and Iron- Oxide’s site-specific production of White Gold were selected to be part of the exhibition Make Believe/ UK Design for Performance shown at the Prague Quadrennial 2015 and The V&A museum, London.
She has been nominated for Best Design at the Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland 3 times, most recently for her design for Great Expectations for Dundee Rep in 2106.
Email Address: becky.minto@talktalk.net
Theatre Company National Theatre of Scotland, 14-18 Now and Perth Theatre co-production in association with Red Note
The Premiere Date of Production 2016-05-24
The Premiere Space of Production Dalcrue Farm, Perthshire
Author Oliver Emanuel
Director/ Choreographer Laurie Sansom
Set Designer Becky Minto
Lighting Designer Simon Wilkinson
Costume Designer Becky Minto
Sound Designer Gareth Williams (Composer)
Other Creative Collaborator/s
Johnathan Gill - Musical Director
Eddie kay - Movement Director
