Q&A with Simon Nicholas
This week, we sat down with Simon Nicholas, Co-Founder of OVO and Set Designer. Simon is behind many of the sets at the Roman Theatre, including those for this summer’s productions of The Secret Garden and The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Hi Simon, thank you for spending time with us today, I know that you are very busy working on the set for A Christmas Carol, which opens in just over a week’s time. Firstly, how is it all going?
Really well. Everything will be perfect for opening night!
Can you tell us a bit about your process for designing a set? How do you begin?
Understand the story and begin to consider what might be fun to explore. I have ideas in my head for when I chat with the Director. Not rigid plans or finalised designs, just things that help me collaborate with the Director. I love it when the design evolves and where ideas are shared. The last thing I want, is to be just given a job list.
The ‘if money was no object’ is always good to explore, just because you can’t afford something doesn’t stop the creativity. The next thing for me, is to find out all you can about the venue or venues we will be playing within, and the budget available – what will fit and suit the space. This is followed by more pondering and scribbling!
I love looking for those magical theatrical moments in show, such as a beautiful transition, or key action points where watching it is breathtaking. Another key ingredient for me is building a space I would love to perform in. As an example, if there is tower, we want to make sure someone gets to stand up high for that big speech.
How do you collaborate with the Director and other departments such as lighting and sound to ensure the set aligns with the vision for the production?
We talk, listen and share opinions – shows where this doesn’t happen fall apart quite quickly.
What has been the most challenging part of the set design process for A Christmas Carol so far?
With this year’s new script for A Christmas Carol we have a fantastic opportunity to add even more magic. Working on the set is about enhancing the journey around the Roman Theatre. So much is provided by what is already here, so my job is adding elements that help transport Scrooge to the many places the Ghosts take him to.
This is a winter show so I guess the greatest challenge is building things that can look fabulous throughout our month’s residence in the open air at the Roman Theatre.
How do you balance creativity with budget constraints?
Where we can, we recycle and reuse. We adapt elements from previous shows. Locally in St Albans and also in the theatre industry there is a healthy ‘reuse’ culture. People have kindly passed on chairs, stools and unwanted mirrors for this year’s show. I love hunting for bargains and finding special objects or furniture like an old school desk. I really enjoy finding creative ways to transform unwanted second hand items into key pieces of the set.
You have designed many sets for OVO before, which has been your favourite and why?
So many favourites! The 39 Steps that re-opened the Maltings Theatre after lockdown is a favourite. I emptied our storage and built a set made of elements from over 10 years of OVO shows – It was a playground for the performers! The two shows that I worked on this summer are big highlights. The Secret Garden was a truly collaborative production, with over 20 actors young and old on stage throughout and one where the set needed to move from its drab and broken form to coming alive with colour and nature as the story reached its climax. The Merry Wives of Windsor I loved because I originally worked on this design in 2020, and this year I got to take the design to an even better evolution!
Finally, how did you get started as a set designer, and what advice would you give to someone entering the field?
I became a professional actor in my late 40s. I still wanted to be involved in theatre in between my acting work. Having grown up with a dad who was creative and very skilful at making things, I guess things rubbed off. I started making things for shows, and from chopping and screwing wood together, I added the ‘designing it’ to my portfolio.
For anyone entering set design, be collaborative and listen, not every idea will be fully your own. Some of your best work will come from shaping someone else’s ‘could we do…’ into something that works and can be built.
Can you give any hints about the differences with this year’s set for A Christmas Carol?
OVO has a reputation for always enhancing what it does. This year’s A Christmas Carol will be even more magical!