Hi Joan,
I gave it a little thought today, and came up with a simple solution that I would suggest to my director if she ever asked for wings in this scene. I'm not exactly sure what is called for in your production, but just humor me for a second...
Like I said above, I feel that the simplest solution sometimes is the safest. If I were doing The Tempest again, I would probably deem this effect "not very critical to the plot", so I'm guessing I would not devote much time and angst into it.
So anyway, here's my idea.
Make the wings a part of Ariels costume. Make everything lightweight, flexible and breathable. When the wings are stored on his back, the audience will see them as a cape or cloak. The fabric that will later form the spread of the wings is allowed to drape down his back and at his sides...in full, billowy pleats. This wing fabric attaches onto two short dowel rods, (much like the dove in my Children of Eden photo above), but these two dowels are stored within straps or pouches on Ariel's back.
This method of storage is similar to the scabbard that holds arrows for an Indian warrior. Or better yet, Xena from the TV show. To deploy the two wings, Ariel would simply, (or eloquently), raise both arms over his head, reach back and grab the wing handles over his shoulders. He can then unfurl the wings in a sweeping motion...and then clap them down on the banquet table as called for.
I've sketched some rough and rudimentary illustrations of this process:
http://www.lowell.to/Tech/ArielWingConcept.gif - http://www.lowell.to/Tech/ArielWingConcept.gif
The Xena method! Simple and foolproof.
The fullness of the pleats in the lightweight fabric would actually cover my backpack-looking apperatus, so for most of the show the audience would just see this as a rustic cloak of the period. If the fullness of this stuff on his back telegraphs to the audience: "stored wings", then hey, no problem...Ariel IS a fairy after all.
After the "wing scene" is over, Ariel could then reverse the sweeping arm motion to put the wings back into the sheaths. Who knows, maybe the actor will latch onto this gimmick as a piece of character business!...and ask the director if he can use it again in other choice moments!
When it comes down to it...it's just a quick bit in a long show...so I would not put much more detail into it, (unless my director was VERY insistant!)
Oh well, just my little brainstorm. I hope it all turns out well for you. And if I ever do The Tempest again, I'll have to mention this bit to our director!
Break a leg, Dana
------------- Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School
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