Necessary Targets: Prop design

Understanding Prop Design in Necessary Targets

Principles of Prop Design

The prop design for Necessary Targets should evince the dual setting of the play - New York and Bosnia.
Props should be chosen to reveal the stark contrast between the characters’ lifestyles and the complex socio-political climates they inhabit.
Ethnically and historically accurate props are important to portray the authenticity of the Bosnian conflict and the lived experiences of the women.

Significance of Props in the Play

Each prop in Necessary Targets carries significant symbolic weight, further developing the plot and characters.
Properties like J.S.’s tape recorder or Zlata’s cigarette can serve as tangible manifestations of characters’ personalities and coping mechanisms.
The Bosnian women’s headscarves and the war photographs serve as types of remnants that tell the stories of displaced people trying to rebuild their lives.

Using Props to Highlight Themes

The prop design reflects the themes of resilience, healing, and cultural clashes pervasive in Necessary Targets.
Props like the destroyed and rebuilt dollhouse can symbolise the war-torn Bosnian landscape and the struggle for rebuilding, thus reinforcing the play’s themes.
Props such as the local Bosnian liquor bear testament to cultural quirks and conflicts observed in the play.

Impact of Props on the Audience

Through visually impactful props, the audience gains a tangible understanding of the harsh realities of war and conflict depicted in Necessary Targets.
The recurring appearance of certain props provides a visual narrative for the audience, subtly guiding them through the arc of the story.

Challenges and Considerations in Prop Design

Designing props for Necessary Targets requires a thoughtful balance between authenticity, symbolism, and practicality for stage use.
Props need to be carefully chosen and managed to avoid cluttering the stage or distracting from the play’s vital dialogue.
Appropriate staging of props during the play’s particularly emotionally intense scenes requires delicate handling to maintain the dramatic momentum.

Ensuring Prop Safety

Since Necessary Targets does feature moments of physical confrontation, it’s essential that all props used are safe for the actors to interact with.
Distress or weathering techniques may be used to make new items appear old or war-torn, but these should be done in a way that does not compromise the structural integrity or safety of the prop.