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Simon Banham
Simon Banham Wales
Based in: Wales
Member Of: SBTD
Visit Website: Website
Simon is a freelance scenographer who also teaches at Aberystwyth University, Wales (www.aberscenography.co.uk) where he is the Reader in Scenography and Theatre Design.

Simon is co-founder of the theatre company Quarantine (www.qtine.com) which was established in 1998, since when he has created the scenography for all their productions. He recently collaborated with Richard Gregory of Quarantine and the artist Jeremey Deller, to create the opening event for the Manchester international Festival ‘What is the city but the people’ (‘Best Event’ at the inaugural cultural awards ceremony in Manchester 2018). He has been developing a continuing body of work in contemporary opera with Music Theatre Wales over the past 30 years as well as a series of works for National Theatre Wales (The Persians was awarded ‘Best Design’ 2010 in the UK theatre awards).

Featured Work

Three Curtains: Spring, Passion, It Will Come Later

Role/Title: Designer
Venue: UK touring / EU Tour / International Tour
Year of Production Opening: 2016 / 2017
Like any other artist, scenographers have themes that run through their work and we constantly re-visit and re-invent these threads driven by present circumstances and current curiosities. My submission comprises 3 separate & distinct curtains found in 3 separate and distinct productions for 3 separate and distinct companies and 3 separate and distinct forms of performance - spoken, sung and danced. Each of these curtains is a performing object, a live scenographic presence in the room.

Spring: Curtain # 1: a gold slash-curtain that reveals the slightest breath in/of the room, gathering every light, constantly trembling, always live.

Passion: Curtain # 2: a sunshine yellow silk, both autonomous and manipulated. It is a calm, still presence, an enveloping landscape, a costume, a refuge.

It Will Come Later: Curtain # 3: a grey, string curtain, it revolves relentlessly, almost imperceptibly, slowly describing a 10m circle in the performance space, constantly revealing and hiding.

It will come later
Image Credit - It will come later
Spring
Image Credit - Spring
Passion
Image Credit - Passion
Passion
Image Credit - Passion

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Lighting Designer: M Brookes
Lighting Designer: J Fletcher
Lighting Designer: K Sandys