Interview: John Dinning of ONCE at Neptune Theatre

ONCE is here in the Maritimes at Neptune Theatre! This is the first regional production of ONCE to be playing in Canada with all Canadian actors.

During the media call for ONCE at Neptune Theatre, I had the pleasure of meeting John Dinning. John Dinning has served as a scenic designer for the past thirty seven years; working on shows in North American and Sinagpore. He won the 2014 Merrit Award for this work on COMEDY OF ERRORS for Neptune Theatre. We sat in the lobby of Neptune Theatre and had a discussion centring around the creative process for designing the set for ONCE.

Dinning seemed intrigued by the opportunity of an interview. "People do not realize how much work goes into designing sets for shows". Taking on ONCE was a new task as he had to design an Irish pub on stage for actors as well as for audience members to enter during preshow and intermission. Because the show takes place in Dublin, Dinning's research indicated that the style of pubs in Dublin are predominately Georgian; compared to the Victorian style which is familiar in Irish pubs here in North America. Georgian pubs have a certain elegant appeal and were built around the 1700s. He wanted the pub to feel "homey" for the characters and he altered the set to give it a look as if it has faded over time. From the door knobs to the pictures hung on the walls, each detail that we will observe as an audience was built from the ground up. Not one element is simply there because it "is"; there is a reasoning behind every object and color scheme. He worked hand in hand with the lighting director to ensure perfect contrasts were in place.

When asked about designing the set to accompany the bar available to audience, Dinning stated that it was a huge factor to consider. The bar had to enable a state of realism that could be captured up close on the stage and far away into the audience.

Chairs are staggered along the stage for the performers to sit on. One of my favorite facts that Dinning shared with me is how no two chairs are alike; "chairs reflect different styles", representative to the fact that the actors and musicians all play different instruments.

"We're historians, painters, and a bit of everything" says John Dinning as he describes the collaborate effort of bringing a set to life. He hopes that having such conversations about his work will demystify his artistic process for the public.

ONCE is currently playing at Neptune Theatre through May 28. For ticket inquiries, phone (1902)429-7070 or visit www.neptunetheatre.com.