Explore the elements of Gabriela Tylesova's set design for Shakespeare in Love in this interactive image.
Gabriela Tylesova's set design for Shakespeare in Love evokes a theatrical version of Elizabethan London, and is adaptable for the various locations in the play. Tylesova has used several flying and automated elements to create a layered space that bridges the two worlds of the play: Elizabethan England, and the world of putting on a play.
Associate Set Designer, Jacob Battista, explains that Tylesova's design choices, particularly the donut revolve, aid with the rhythm and pace of the show. Some scenes are only half a page, so the transitions must be swift and fluid to sustain the story’s momentum. The combination of short scenes, and a ratio of roughly one actor per three characters, also means lots of very quick costume changes. Tylesova’s set allows for these to happen upstage behind curtains and masking panels. Explore the image below to discover more about the set design for Shakespeare in Love.
Learn more about Shakespeare in Love in our two-part Education Pack.
VCE Theatre Studies revision activity: sketch the Shakespeare in Love set from memory, and label as many design elements as you can recall. For each element, describe a scene where it was used. Compare your sketch with the interactive image above, then choose one scene from the play to analyse in detail.
Published on 7 August 2019