rather grand, sunlit, autumnal garden, focussed on a great golden rotunda, dappled with sunlight. But, as so often at Citizens, this same expensive feature reappeared, altered beyond recognition, in French Knickers, a satirical musical based on La Vie Parisienne and set in the Gare du Nord. Finally, smashed beyond redemption and piled up with sandbags, it served as background for another director's staging of Blithe Spirit, set in the THE ENO PRODU CTION OF THE PEA RL FISHERS Second World War. So it is possible to plan a season of A SELECTED PHILIP PROWSE DESIGNOLOGY perhaps three productions using the same basic set. Most recently, for The Vortex, by Citizens' Theatre:* Noel Coward, and John Ford's 'Tis Pity 1972: Th e Relapse; 1973: Opera North: She's a Whore, Prowse made use of the Early M orn ing, Troilus and Aida*, The Th reepenny same huge open space, painted black and Cressida; 197 4: Camino Real; Opera*, Orpheo Ed Eurid filled with mirrors and lilies for the 1975: Th e Duchess of Malfi; ice *, Daphne* former. Painted white, with different, 1976: Th e Changeling; 1977: sparse but effective furnishings a11d props, Semi-M onde; 1978: Painter's English National Opera: the same space became the interior of a Palace of Pleasure, Th e Th e Pearl Fishers* great baroque church for Ford's play in Th reepenny Opera, The which Prowse's notable ability to make his Seagull; 1979: Chinchilla, The Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet: characters appear and disappear as though Country Wife, The Maid's Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, by magic speeded up the action and kept Tragedy; 1980: A Was te of Gloriana the thing moving. Tim e, Don Juan; 1981: The I suggested to Prowse that there must Massacre of Paris; 1 982: Th e Royal Ballet: surely be times when he yearned for Roman Actor, Philosophy in Diversions, Laurientia, the Boudoir, Th e Blacks; Paquita, La Bayadere 1983: Sirocco, Webster, What Prowse does is Rosenkavalier, Oroonoko; Zurich Opera House: "try to bend the space 1984: A Woman of No Swan Lake t o suit the demands Importance, French Knickers; 1985: Mary Stuart, Heart The Scottish Ballet: of the play." break House; 1986: Th e Th e Nutcracker, The Sca rl et Spanish Bawd, An Ideal Pastora le, Cheri unlimited funds to work with. The answer Husband; 1987: Anna was an admittedly qualified negative. He Karenina; 1988: Th e Vortex, Dutch National Opera: has of course worked elsewhere than at 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, Lady Th e Sleeping Beauty Citizens - in opera; at the Old Vic (where Windermere 's Fan; he staged Phedra with Glenda Jackson in The Royal Opera at Covent the title role); and in London's West End, Welsh National Opera: Garden: with far more generous funding than the Tamburlaine * Orpheo Ed Euridice, Ariadne Glasgow playhouse can provide. But he Auf Naxos certainly doesn't seem to envy the The Lyric Theatre, Shaft designers of shows like Starlight Express or esbury Avenue: Munich Opera House: The Phantom of the Opera (incidentally, Summit Conference* Swan Lake Maria Bjornsen, designer of that smash hit, was a Citizens' trainee under Philip Greenwich Theatre: Scottish Opera: Prowse in her early days). Th e White Devil, Th e Seagull, Th e Magic Flute "Young designers seem to feel that they Th e Orphan * must have all the latest mechanical things Festival Ballet: to work with, but I still enjoy doing things The National Theatre: Th e Wooden Prince with wood and paint. Of course, it might Th e Duchess of Malfi* be nice to have a flat stage instead of al English National Opera: ways having to build it up. But with all the The Old Vic, Aldwych: Don Giovanni old machinery down there, I don't suppose Phedra* we'd ever be allowed to dispose of that - * also directed quite rightly, I have to say."
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