Shao Yang

Hekabe is a grim play that deals with the darker side of human emotions and character. As such, I have decided to go with an ominous looking set design to further emphasize the cruel nature of the story. Just as they are portrayed throughout the play, betrayal, greed, and death are all things that we will encounter in our lives and that is why audiences are able to associate and feel sympathy for Hekabe.

Given that the play has a running theme of desolation and depicts the deterioration of Hekabe’s emotional and mental state, the decaying aesthetic which 45 Downstairs offers felt appropriate as it echoed the character’s state of mind. This intimate setting invites the audience to truly share the space with the performers and experience the play on a more personal level.