Page 50 - Studio International - August 1966

Franciszka Themerson's stage designs

This spring the Novi Sad International Concourse from behind. In her designs for Brecht's play
awarded a gold medal to Franciszka Themerson, the Franciszka Themerson tried to achieve 'expressive-
Polish-born artist, for her designs for Michael ness without Expressionism'. Only a limited range of
Meschke's productions of Jarry's Ubu Roi and colours was used—mostly grey and black, though the
Brecht's The Threepenny Opera. The plays were pro- crowd was in white, grey, black, with touches of red,
duced at the Stockholm Marrionetteatern. A note on and the girls in the brothel scene were painted orange-
Franciszka Themerson is given on page 64. Below to-red. For Ubu Roi only black and white were used,
and opposite we reproduce photographs taken at the and the size of the figures varied according to their
Marionetteatern. importance, a device which gave 'a feeling of
In these productions the actors were either inside tremendous perspective on a small stage'.
three-dimensional figures or manipulating puppets

Left Preparatory work for Brecht's The Threepenny Opera—
Franciszka Themerson working on movable panels and single
figures for the beggars' march (Act 3, scene 1).

Below left The beggars' march:
Since man is far from good
Just hit him on the head
And if you do it properly
He's either good or dead.

Below right Franciszka Themerson and Michael Meschke try
out the movements of figures for the brothel scene. The actors
who manipulate the figures wear white, so that they are less
intrusive. Centre, one of the girls, coloured orange-to-red;
left, a white-and-grey wash body-mask for Mrs Peachum.