Punchdrunk Design Questions

Why is the design element so important for Punchdrunk?

Due to Punchdrunk being an immersive style of theatre, every element of the piece must be used to convey the feeling that the audience are actually inside of a real, lived in place. This helps to add to the immersion of the piece a great deal, it also helps the actors themselves to feel in character and allow them to perform to the best of their ability if they are constantly in that environment. It can also help to create a mood for the audience, if the room is small then the audience will feel panicky and closed in, but if the room is large and open they will feel daunted and uneasy due to the expanse of the space. 

How can lighting be used in Punchdrunk?

Lighting can be used to completely change the feeling of a room. The lighting of a room can be used to great effect to change the mood of an audience, harsh lighting that uses cold colours can make an audience feel uncomfortable and in a state of unrest, while warm colours can make an audience feel comfortable and safe. However, using darkness can also be incredibly effective in changing the shape of a room, to make it seem smaller or larger than it is, which can in turn add the audience's feeling of unease or nervousness in a piece. 

How does set dressing aid in the creation of an immersive theatre piece?

As mentioned before, this can go a long way to make the environment feel lived in and create a much more real and true to life environment, this also creates mystery amongst the audience giving them different items and props for them to investigate and can give another element of the story that otherwise couldn't be told in the more traditional styles of theatre