CALIGULA AND THE SEA
The VAULTS Festival
February 2023
Director
Yuxuan Liu
Production Designer
Fiona McKeon
Dramaturg
Jacey Casel
Movement Director
Sean Croft
Sound Designer
Hannah Bracegirdle
Lighting Designer
Aaron Dootson
Puppet Designer
Noah Silverstone
Stage Manager
Emily Dudley
Caligula
Noah Silverstone
Cassius Chaerea
Felix Ryder
Neptune
Riko Nakazono
THE DESIGN
The sea and urban environment were the two key aspects of Caligula’s world. Embracing the built nature of the venue’s train station vaults, the design used Roman style columns to create the moments of Caligula’s urban life. The deconstructed silk parachute with it’s fluid movement, created the sea and rivers. It demonstrated nature and Neptune’s power and continued in their costume.
Costumes drew a modern connection to Ancient Rome, using key period elements and colours to demonstrate the characters role in society.
THE STORY
This work sprang from the myth of Emperor Caligula waging war on nature by sending his soldiers to subdue the sea by means of force, throwing their spears at the waves.
It was constructed around the use of physical theatre, puppetry and text which was written during the R&D and rehearsal processes. Caligula’s relationships with Cassisus Chaerea, head of his Praetorian Guard and Neptune, God of the Seas drove the story as they both changed from being friends to adversaries through Caligula’s choices and actions.
Photographer
Craig Fuller
