My Mate Dave Died
The project
Originally the creation of Sheffield University Theatre Company members, this new writing piece presented a heartfelt, comedic take on the challenging subjects of teenage loss, drug abuse and friendship. Strongly rooted in a sense of place, with lightweight staging required to facilitate a move to Edinburgh Fringe venues, the show was highly successful in Sheffield and underwent two further incarnations and cast changes across several venues.
The brief
I was asked to manage the production's technical aspects from early script development stages, through to debut performance and subsequent revised versions. The long-term, ever-changing nature of the project and the need for it to adapt to different venues meant that the creative team sought a light-touch approach to set, lighting and sound.
The solution
Flexibility was at the core of this piece, meaning that my work with designers encouraged them to use simple set motifs, lighting states that could be created in a range of venues, and easily-replicable costumes which would adapt with the show - including cast changes - over time. With a small budget stretching over multiple incarnations of the show, including the significant costs of performing in Edinburgh, I was able to produce a technical blueprint which included key visual motifs like a park bench and a simple bedroom set, and support designers to adapt this multiple venues.
Production Management
