Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Interesting/Bad Color: Spiderman



This image is from the broadway production Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark. I know nothing about this play, nor its lighting, but I saw this image and something about it rubbed me the wrong way. I am reluctant to say that this is an example of "bad lighting design." I do think, however, that the costume of the most prominent figure on the stage clashes pretty awfully with the large, greenish, patterned spotlight behind her. The secondary yellow spotlight creates an awkward shadow of this woman inside the ominous, shaded figure behind her. The dramatic, overhead, yellow lights (which do not seem uniform in color) shining down on each of the kneeling figures make it difficult to know who or what to focus on. Again, knowing nothing about this production, I do not know what the desired effect of this lighting design was. It might have achieved exactly what the designers wanted. But out of context, I do not find it visually appealing.

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