Just as the art of lighting is elusive by nature, so the use of light to create atmosphere in the theatre is a somewhat
broad
and vague concept.
The term 'atmosphere' is sometimes helpful for directors and choreographers trying to describe to the lighting designer what they wish to see on
stage
without having a
clear
idea of lighting and its effect on stage. Directors and choreographers often talk about feelings in terms of color, and light and shadow are employed metaphorically as well as in practice, all in search of the right atmosphere.
'Atmosphere' also refers to states of mind such as moods or emotions, which the audience will experience in the course of the show. These could include sadness, joy, melancholy or laughter.
The lighting designer draws the atmosphere of the play from the text, which contains direct and indirect references. This is realized on
stage
by the artistic team, lighting being one of the most effective tools for this purpose. Some dramatists explicitly state what the atmosphere should be for each scene. Beckett, for instance, in Act Without Words describes a
scene
which takes place on a narrow platform upstage, stating that the
stage
should be "violently lit". In Steps, Beckett calls for: "weak and cold light". What is cold light?
Light is extremely efficient in establishing movement, change, and most important the passage of time.
The color of light is characterized by physical as well as psychological qualities. Color perception and responses to color can vary radically from one person to the next. There is general agreement within large groups of people (of similar cultural backgrounds) only with regard to the effect of a small number of colors. Yet there is no doubt that color arouses distinct reactions which reflect explicit emotional characteristics.
Color has different symbolic meanings: a person can be described as being decked up like a peacock, colorful, seeing only the black side of things.
White
is considered to have positive connotations and black is considered to be negative. Red is perceived as being an active color, while blue is thought of as being passive. Happiness and joy are linked with bright colors, grandeur and elaboration demand a rich palette of color, and there is a connection between dark colors and burdensome events. Red symbolizes passion, green symbolizes cold and yellow is considered the color of hatred, and we all get the Blues sometimes. Again, these will all depend on the cultural background of the spectator.
A great many different kinds of luminaires and effects can be employed in order to create atmospheric lighting.
Following are a few basic widely used techniques for creating atmosphere:
An atmosphere of fear: lighting the actor with footlights and other unnatural angles.
Sweeney Todd, The New Israeli Opera.
An intimate atmosphere: soft lighting, a combination of various angles and colors.
The Seagull, The Tel-Aviv Cameri Theatre.
A stormy and gloomy atmosphere: using backdrop illumination and effects machine in order to cast clouds and flash lightnings.
Boris Godunov, The New Israeli Opera.
A cold atmosphere: using luminaires with cold colored filters such as #201 and #161.
Sweeney Todd, The New Israeli Opera.
An atmosphere of intrigue: light from behind the actor, with the facial features not clearly lit.
La Boheme, The New Israeli Opera.
A pleasant atmosphere: creating depth in undistorted perspective without mystery; bright and strong light.
The Barber of Seville, The New Israeli Opera.
A dramatic atmosphere: Deep shadows, high contrast, rapid and sharp changes in the light.
Sweeney Todd, The New Israeli Opera.
An atmosphere for intimate scenes: Using color, lighting angles and shadowing.
