Simply Knitting - UK (2020-04)

KNITTER’S WORLD

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Theshowwasa huge

successforallthe

family to enjoy

FrancesMarshall

(back)andEsmonde

ColeinTheSnow

Queen at Park Theatre

DesignerStephen

Westknittedshawls

andpanelsforthe

stage background

Thespringsectionofthe

showfeaturedwonderful

colourful knitted objects

TheParkTheatrein

London,wherethe

show first debuted

JulieClareisthe

show’s producer

TheParkTheatre

has a quirky look

EmilyAshbourndesigned

some of the headpieces

A

festivefamilyadaptationofHansChristianAndersen’sTheSnowQueen,which

debutedintheParkTheatreinLondonon4 December2019,featuredanamazing

knittedbackground– anideathatwasimaginedbytheshow’screw,whowere

inspiredby‘yarnbombing’.Theycreateda gardenfilledwithcolourfulknittedandcrocheted

flowersfortheshow’s‘worldofspring’section.Wetalktotheshow’sproducer,JulieClare, to

findoutmoreabouttheprojectandhowknittingformeda salientpartintheshow.

Theideatoincorporateknittingintothesetdesigninitiallycamefromthedirector,Abigail

Anderson,duringanearlyproductionmeetingasshehadseensomeyarnbombing‘inthe

wild’andthoughtit wouldsitreallywellwiththewholeconceptofthespringsectionofthe

show.“Setdesigner,GregorDonnelly,confessedhedidn’tknowwhatyarnbombingwasor

verymuchaboutknitting,”saysJulie.“I– witha slightlysinkingheart,knowingwhatthiswas

likelytomean– confessedthatI’ma keenknitterandcrocheter,andsuddenly was in charge of

co-ordinatinga smallarmyofcrafterstomakethevisionhappen!”

PicturesandexperiencesofyarnbombingthatAbigailhadpreviouslyseenledthecrewto

domoreresearchandtheyquicklyrealisedthattheconceptfittedperfectly with the idea of

springbeingaboutthecharacter,Gerda,learningtoplayagain.

EveryonegotstuckintomakeAbigail’svisiona reality– a hugegroupofdedicated

crafters,bothamateurandprofessional,gotinvolved,includingJulie’sfriendStephenWest

(professionalknittingdesigner,author,andco-ownerofyarnshop,StephenandPenelopein

Amsterdam)whoknittedthebigpanelsincludedinthebackgroundoftheset.Howexactly

didJuliemanagetogetsuchanenthusiasticteaminvolvedintheprocess?“Iasked!”she

laughs.“Youknowwhatknittersarelike– someoftheloveliest,mosthelpfulpeopleyoucould

wishtomeet.PrettymucheveryoneI asked,gotonboardalmostimmediately.Luckily,after

havinghostedourownmonthly‘CakeandCraft’afternoonsforover eight years with my lovely

housemate,wewerewellpluggedintotheknittingcommunity.”

Theoutcomewasfourlargeknittedpanels(twohangingpanelsandtwoshawlsstrung

diagonallystageleftandstageright),eachembellishedwithhundredsofbeautifulcrocheted

flowers,plusa largeshawlknittedbyStephenWestonthegateofthewhitepicketfenceinthe

characterMrsDear’sgarden,alsoembellishedwithcrochetedflowers.“Therosesstuckinto

a dustbinlidona greenribbonthatisraisedandloweredbyoneofthe cast to show the roses

goingdownintotheearthandthenrisingupagain,”explainsJulie.

However,likeanycreativeprocess,theteamdidencountersomesetbacksalongtheway

butwereabletoovercomethesethroughimprovisation.“Thesetdesignerwasn’ta massive

fanofthepanelsinitially,ashehadenvisionedsomethingwithsimpleboldstripes,”saysJulie.

“Unfortunately,therewasnowaywecouldhaveknittedpanelsthat size in the time we had.

Luckily,oncetheflowerswereon,hefellinlovewiththelook!”

And,afterdiscoveringthewonderfulcreativeprocessofincorporatingknittingintoa set

design– wouldJuliedoit allagain?“IfI weretoproducea showwhere a ‘crafted’ set fitted with

thesubjectmatter,I wouldabsolutelydoit again!”shesays.

For more details on The Park Theatre, London visit http://www.parktheatre.co.uk.

“I was suddenly in charge

of co-ordinating a small

army of crafters...!

JulieClaretellsusallabouthowknittingand

creativitycombinedtomakea memorable

performance of classic play The Snow Queen!

Written by Colette Earley

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