Scenery and costume design for 'Ivanov' by Anton Tjechov, Halogaland Theatre, Tromsø, Norway, Direction Victoria Meirik, opening night februari 26, 2004.
'Ivanov' shows the downfall of a man who has strained himself in life. In a social environment where everyone is focused on material issues and showing off, Ivanov has lost the spirit in his life. Even love does not offer the enlightment that he is longing for. In parallel with the internal decay of Ivanov, the surrounding space collapses slowly. The blue space with golden flooring evokes associations with a dancing hall, but equally with a wooden pallet with potatoes. Potatoes are the only vegetables that can be cultivated in the far north of Norway and the wodka that people drink a lot, is made of potatoes. The changes in the space go together with the dramatic decline of the main character. The decay starts in a subtle way, with water seeping along the blue curtains. While Ivanov’s despair is growing, a complete chaos starts to dominate with all chairs in a mess. When Ivanov, with renewed hope, plans to get married, the space is swept clean. But a tragic ending is unavoidable. Ivanov commits suicide, just after the space has collapsed.
Direction: Victoria Meirik Set and costumedesign: Roos van Geffen
Lightdesign: Stephen Rolfe
Actors: Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen, Kristian Fr. Figenschow jr, Maria Henriksen, Marte Magnusdotter Solem, Arne Skog, Nils Johnson, Guri Johnson, Joachim Rafaelsen, Ulla Marie Broch, Sverre Kjelsberg
Review in Norsk Shakespeare, March 2004.
(...) The Dutch Roos van Geffen designed the scenery and the costumes. Her design is stylized ,almost minimalistically simple; by means of a few chairs and a table, she expresses the deteriorated, indifferent climate in Ivanov’s house. The same applies for the way that she presents the extravagant and vulgar richness in the house of the Lebedev family. Her costumes have the same layers of meanings and the wedding dress of Marte Magnus Solem is a touching and magnificent case in point.
