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After a competition of several weeks, designs have been selected for the settings of Goldoni's "Liar", which has been chosen by the Dramatic Club for its twenty-sixth production. From several sets of designs submitted by members of the Dramatic Club last week, those of John McAndrew '24 were considered best suited to the requirements of the production.
Settings Will Differ From Last Year
This year's settings will be essentially different in nature from those used last winter for Andreyev's "Life of Man". Last year the scenery was of the impressionistic school with no attempt at realistic illusion. Each of the five sets of the play was designed to express the mood and action of the play, beginning with the humble scene of Man's birth, and ending in a distorted chaos which reflects the final note of the play.
The designs for this year's production have swung from ultra modern impressionism to the stylized simplicity of the 18th century. Instead of interpreting the play, the scenery for "The Liar" will serve as a harmonious, but conventional, 'background, for the action.
Only Two Scenic Sets to be Used
Although Goldoni's play contains three acts and six scenes, only two scenic sets, one an exterior and one an interior,--will be used alternately throughout the play.
For both settings, Mr. Andrew has used the broad arched wings which became a convention in the Italian theatre during the 18th century and which are still seen in Italian opera. Behind these wings are placed the backgrounds which comprise the two sets.
The first scene represents a typical street in Venice during its gay carnival time. On one side of the stage is the stately house of a rich Bolognese doctor, with an arched doorway, and a broad balcony looking down upon the stage. Across the way is the entrance to an inn, the "Aquila D'Ors". Between the two buildings are steps and an embankment, which suggest the presence of a canal, and above which may be seen a deep expanse of sunny Venetian sky.
Second Scene is Interior of House
The second scene represents the interior of a room in the doctor's house. The background is formed by high panels, elaborately decorated. In the center is a large, arched window with draped curtains which looks out upon the canal. The decorations on the walls, the paintings, and the furniture, are all done in the intricate rococo style typical of the period.
The light comedy effects of the play are heightened by the warm color scheme in the opening scene. The settings are designed in straight lines, with broad, flat surfaces, painted in clear, bright colors.
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