University News Last updated 17 October 2013
A lecturer from Birmingham City University's Institute of Art and Design has been working with one of the world's top directors as part of a new theatre production.
Ravi Deepres, a lecturer in Visual Communication has been working alongside British director, Phyllida Lloyd, CBE.
Phyllida is best known for her work in theatre and for Oscar and BAFTA winning films such as 'The Iron Lady', 'Gloriana' and 'Mamma Mia', which, with box office takings of £398 million, is the UK's second highest-grossing film of all time.
Ravi is working alongside Phyllida on the new adaptation of Josephine and I, a play based on the life and times of performing artist Josephine Baker, which follows her experiences of racial prejudice in America during the 1920s and World War II.
Ravi was approached by Phyllida to create the film design for the production, which uses a mixture of still and animated imagery.
"Combining the performance with this imagery is like adding another narrative layer to the play," explains Ravi. "For me, film design for theatre involves creating physically breathing images and light which can work together with the events on stage."
The film sequences start with a flickering 1920's black and white style which gradually becomes more colourful, a reflection of Josephine's journey to stardom and the art culture of Paris at this time, where she was performing.
Speaking on his experience working on the production, Ravi said: "I was incredibly excited when Phyllida asked me to work with her. We shared a lot of similar visions for the piece and worked brilliantly together through very much a collaborative process. Her approach to the piece was very contemporary and inspiring and we hope to expand and develop the ideas for future tours of the work."
So far the play has only been performed in the UK but new performances are expected for Paris and New York.
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