A detailed and eye opening account of what it takes to put on a theatre show and shifts the limelight over to the hard-working staff responsible.
The National Theatre in collaboration with It’s Nice That have commissioned three photographers to capture what goes on backstage before the curtain rises.
Laura McCluskey, Max Miechowski and Callum Su have each brought their own flair to this exhibition whilst capturing beautiful, rare moments and placing the limelight on the hard-working people backstage.
A short bio from each photographer was available to read detailing where they’re from, what they’ve achieved and how they’ve found themselves in this work today. It was wonderful to see the photographers at the opening exhibition, ask them questions about their work and see their friends and families in attendance. The atmosphere felt relaxed and welcoming.
The first of our photographers was Callum Su, a British-Chinese photographer born in Manchester and based in London.
“He has a sensitive approach in exploring landscape, details, portraiture and fashion. He uses photography as a way to document his voyage outwards into a new experience and inwards into a new consciousness. This often results in a suggested narrative behind his subjects.”
Callum was the only artist to shoot in black and white, giving his work a slight contrast to that of his peers. The use of light across his collection is direct and striking but still finds moments of softness. In particular, a photo of a young man with a shadow sweeping across his face whilst wearing a mic is visually captivating. I had fun imagining this moment taking place during a production of Hamlet where the young technician decides to come out from behind the stage, take centre focus and deliver a flawless soliloquy. Callum Su has an eye for detail and allows our imagination to run free, making his work thought-provoking and enjoyable to spectate.
Next up we have Laura McCluskey, “… a London–based photographer, director and visual artist working between fashion, portrait and documentary projects. Often capturing real-life and emotion as it happens, she finds inspiration in the beauty of the everyday and in human connection.”
Laura takes us away from the dramatic black and white and into a world of magical technicolor. We see elaborate costumes and props in place ready for their entrance, the arrows marked on the floor guide you to the stage but keep an eye out for the snake like wires that cluster together, their rainbow metallic colours entrancing and alluring. Laura has a talent for making inanimate objects come to life through her photography. She shows us that the world behind the stage is just as magical and exciting as it is on stage.
Last, but by no means least, is Max Miechowski.
“Max Miechowski is a British photographer based in London. With a focus on long-form projects, his practice centres on themes of connection and community. Often rooted in portraiture, his work explores the intricate, at times conflicting, relationships between people and place.”
His work is bold, authentic and cinematic. We become flies on the wall as we catch candid glimpses of the busy bees backstage. Max shared that he used a long lens for this shoot as he wanted to stay out of sight and out of mind. This technique has allowed us to see people in their natural state without feeling observed. Max said he enjoyed catching people in the moment, without it feeling posed or preempted. Another reason for using a long lens is because his subjects are used to being hidden, unlike the actors on stage these people prefer to stay away from the limelight and tend to stay where they feel at home in the shadows. Max has given us the opportunity to experience another world and shares with us his findings on these remarkable creatures in a way that feels like we are at the cinema.
This exhibition is a perfect opportunity for us to understand and witness what goes on behind the stage and how much time, hard-work and effort it takes to put on a show. We are so used to applauding the creatives that appear on stage, however we must remember that if it wasn’t for these diligent, caring and dedicated people backstage, the show would not go on.
The exhibition will be on from 27th of June.
https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/your-visit/things-to-do/exhibitions/the-reset