The Imaginary Invalid

The Imaginary Invalid

The Ohio State University
May, 1994
Written by Moliere
Directed by Phil Kilbourne
Lighting design by Carolyn Sarkis
Costume design by Brian Russman
Technical Director: Jim Knapp

Set Design by Matt Kizer

Posted on by Kizer
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The year is 1994. It is a parallel universe. The French Revolution never happened. The industrial revolution was . . . delayed. We are in Ohio, a remote province of France, performing in a company in the service of His Majesty King Louis XXIV. The style we are engaging is Techno-Baroque.The director, Phil Kilbourne, has decided to rebel against almost two decades of an industry habitually transposing every classical play for every production without regard to why. An intimate little neoclassical comedy has been turned into a broad, spectacular farce.This design was partially drafted in AutoCAD. It completely predates any digital rendering that I ever did. The images that follow have all been scanned from 35mm slides.
Here you see the penthouse dwelling of Monsier Argon. The Techno-Baroque Paris skyline is visible in the back. Below, Argon in his bed, below a portrait of the King (also of the director).
Here you see the penthouse dwelling of Monsier Argon. The Techno-Baroque Paris skyline is visible in the back.
Below, Argon in his bed, below a portrait of the King (also of the director).

michael

stage

The Craftmatic Bed, This was pneumatically controlled, and was able to fold and bend into several positions by remote control.
The Craftmatic Bed, This was pneumatically controlled, and was able to fold
and bend into several positions by remote control.
The Giant Flying Caduceus Rocket. This machine landed centerstage, spread its wings, lowered its ramp, and disgorged the cackling maniacal doctor.
The Giant Flying Caduceus Rocket. This machine landed centerstage, spread its wings, lowered its ramp, and disgorged the cackling maniacal doctor.
Argon's medicine supply. Many things bubbled.
Argon’s medicine supply. Many things bubbled.
A chair, and behind it, the revolving clam-shell door which was the main entrance to the dwelling.
A chair, and behind it, the revolving clam-shell door
which was the main entrance to the dwelling.
The Macabus Laptop Power Book: A functioning abacus in a latching case, with a working reset-lever for the beads.
The Macabus Laptop Power Book: A functioning abacus in a latching case, with a working reset-lever for the beads.
The Enema Machine, a whirling, chugging, noisy contraption with a pnuematic "applicator" rfile. This sprung up from a trap left-center when a wall-lever was pulled.
The Enema Machine, a whirling, chugging, noisy contraption with a pnuematic “applicator” rfile. This sprung up from a trap left-center when a wall-lever was pulled.
The Toilet Machine. The bedpan emptied into this, and pulling the lever spun the barber-pole beneath it while making a flushing noise.
The Toilet Machine. The bedpan emptied into this,
and pulling the lever spun the barber-pole beneath it while
making a flushing noise.

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