Stephen Curtis is considered to be one of Australia’s most respected and admired designers working today. In this fabulous practical and inspirationally informative book, medium sized and lavishly illustrated, he attempts to outline everything we should know about set, costume and lighting design; taking us from initial concept, script analysis and research ideas to bringing it all together in actual performance. It is for anyone interested in theatre design, either directly involved in performance or as audience members.

‘Staging Ideas ‘ is structured in several layers with the main chapters covering the key steps in the design process. Each chapter also includes a case study concentrating in short sections on the 2011 Queensland Theatre Company’s production of ‘Pygmalion’, for which Curtis designed the sets and costumes, giving practical working samples relating to each step in the process.

In this book Curtis aims to shine a testing searchlight on the design process, looking at the art of (usually script) interpretation and how a production is taken from page to the stage. Generally, the way performance designers actually work has remained obscure .Curtis sets out to rectify this , producing a sort of fascinating working guide to the various steps that need to be considered in the process – he investigates how designers begin, methods of interpretation, research, visual communication, and so on , leading to the final processes of realising the design for actual performance – not as a creative template but as a suggested structure within which to experiment to find the designer’s own individual, idiosyncratic way of working. This aspect of the very exciting book is particularly geared for student and young designers just beginning their career.

Not only an in-depth reference for students and young designers just starting out, Curtis has also set out to engage his peers with discussion of some of the more complex factors that form the very basis of our work as theatre-makers.

These further thinking subjects include Collaboration and the Creative Team; the Director – Designer Partnership; Developing a Visual Language; The Actor – Audience Relationship, The Design Toolbox; the Performer – Designer Relationship; Theatre Spaces and How They Shape Performance; and Designing Sustainability. Also design and technology in our computer age.

Best of all, however this marvelous book contains the work of nearly 30 of Australia’s leading costume and set designers and includes never-seen-before concept development roughs and vibrant sketch designs – so we can actually see how staging ideas take shape. There are also inspirational quotes from various designers dotted throughout.

Demonstrating that there are numerous ways to approaching the design process, ‘ Staging Ideas ‘ features the work of nearly 30 of Australia’s leading costume and set designers from around the country and includes never-seen-before concept development roughs and sketch designs, including ‘The Secret River ‘, Theatre of Images’ glorious ‘The Book of Everything ‘, Blood Vessel,’ The Season at Sarsaparilla’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ ( three productions are examined ) and Belvoir’s landmark ‘ Diary of a Madman’.

All sorts of theatre shows are covered, – ‘straight ‘plays , children’s theatre, cabaret , musicals , circus and dance for example – are included and discussed . We also get a crash course in the history of theatre and its various styles from ancient Greece and Rome through to now.

The book is beautifully set out and very easy to read. There are a couple of appendixes, a list of definitions, formal endnotes and a very useful index at the back.

Stephen Curtis himself has worked extensively as an Australian designer for drama, film, opera, dance and exhibition. As a production designer he has collaborated with many of Australia’s leading companies and festivals including Bell Shakespeare, Company B Belvoir, Melbourne Theatre Company, Opera Australia, Perth Festival, Queensland Theatre Company, Sydney Festival and Windmill Performing Arts, just to name a few.

Curtis’ film credits include ‘ Looking for Alibrandi ‘,’ Twelfth Night ‘,’ Breathing Underwater’, ‘Bedevil’ and ‘Night Cries’ . Stephen was awarded the Helpmann Award for Best Costume Design for ‘Der Ring de Nibelungen’ and the Green Room Award for Best Design for ‘Lulu’.

STAGING IDEAS- SET AND COSTUME DESIGN FOR THEATRE is published by Currency Press. RRP $49.95.