The expanding role of the designer in the creation of new theatrical work

The article examines the ways in which the designer functions as an artistic creator and how a visual vocabulary may work as a primary inspiration for a theatrical event, visually articulating the directorial vision or elucidating a written text, rather than as a secondary activity. The work of Gerhard Marx, William Kentridge and Alison Kearney is examined to assess the relationship between object and performer, and to open up the possibility for varied theatrical exploration. The problematic nature of the de-hegemonisation of the human subject is elucidated, with particular reference to the theatrical context, where a live actor is paired with a symbolic representation.