Octopolis
WRITER: Marek Horn
COMPANY: Hampstead Theatre
DIRECTOR: Ed Madden
SET & COSTUME DESIGNER: Anisha Fields
SOUND DESIGNER: Esther Kehinde Ajayi
MOVEMENT & INTIMACY DIRECTOR: Angela Gasparetto
VENUE: Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, London
OPENING DATE: 25th September 2023
PHOTOGRAPHER: The Other Richard
“In contrast to the grubby, grey world the humans inhabit, the tank is bathed in vivid, churning colours. Lighting designer Jamie Platt mixes aquatic turquoise and murky indigo with brighter tones of pink, purple and vibrant, sunrise orange, evoking the brilliant hues that the colour-changing octopus uses to express emotions.”
Dave Fargnoli - The Stage - 26/09/2023
“The timorous Frances... is tenderly evoked, swimming in a gigantic, opaque tank at the
back of the stage... Movement is suggested through jets of foam and her changes of mood
revealed in vivid changes of colour, from cool blues to sunshine oranges.”
Arifa Akbar - The Guardian - 26/09/2023
“We never see so much as a tentacle of our eight-legged third character though,
only ever suggested by clever use of smoke and light.”
Gareth Carr - WhatsOnStage - 26/09/2023
“There is, of course, the question of how to stage the octopus... In this production, designer Anisha Fields and lighting designer Jamie Platt create a wide screen that represents Frances and her tank, changing colour as the octopus does so. It’s a stylish choice, and creates some stunning moments - particularly excellent are moments when we see the actors reflected in the tank, making them the subjects of their study.”
Katie Kirkpatrick - BroadwayWorld - 26/09/2023
“Jamie Platt's interactive lighting design takes a creative stance on stage. The water tank/aquarium changes from one colour to another, like colourful ink extractions, adding depth, mirroring the characters' emotional journeys, and emphasising the octopus' presence. It prompts contemplation about sensory experiences. Who says we cannot feel colour?”
Diana Fent - West End Best Friend - 26/09/2023
"Anisha Fields’ simple yet effective design along with Jamie Platt’s vivid lighting is brilliant at creating the presence of Frances without ever seeing her. The tank runs the length of the stage, and changes in mood and emotion are revealed through a spectrum of colour changes from bright orange to red to a cooler blue. There are jets of foam and bubbling noises which serve as a signal for a new chapter and a new narrator."
Celia Armand Smith - Fairy Powered Productions - 28/09/2023
“Ed Madden’s superb production is sensitive to both the thrilling ideas and shifting emotions of the play, and designer Anisha Fields metaphorically spare set, along with Jamie Platt’s vivid lighting, give life to the situation, which is never static.”
