Isolation, Institutions, and Episodic Snaps
Because the stage is bare, lighting must define the location and the mood. You cannot rely on warm, sunny naturalism here. The lighting must feel oppressive. Examiners reward the use of stark, hard-edged spotlights to isolate Verity, and sudden, shocking lighting snaps to transition between the non-linear episodes of her memory.
For the hospital and medical scenes, use a high-intensity, cold white or pale blue LED wash. This floods the stage with sterile light, removing all shadows and warmth. It mimics the harsh buzzing of 1970s fluorescent strip lights, visually communicating the unfeeling, bureaucratic nature of the institutions Verity is trapped inside.
Use these pre-structured sentences in your exam to instantly hit the top marking bands for lighting justification.
| Design Element (What) | Impact Justification (Why) | Key Terminology |
|---|---|---|
| A sudden, blackout snap followed instantly by a harsh, cold white Profile Spot on Verity. | The abrupt transition prevents the audience from settling, mirroring the fractured timeline of the play. The hard-edged spotlight traps her physically on the bare stage, creating an interrogation-like atmosphere that emphasizes her extreme isolation. | Snap Transition Profile Spot Hard-edged Isolation |