The set is in, and it’s a lot bigger than I was expecting. It’s an imposing white structure about 10 feet tall with a walkway running across the top, a ladder coming down one side and doors, windows and hatches open up from the wall. These openings act as different things throughout the play. Sometimes it’s a door, but then it’s an elevator. Sometimes it’s window, but then it’s a cafeteria hatch.
Seeing the actors on the set for the first time is exciting. There are some scenes that have to be reworked, of note the scenes between Will and Sarah on the roof. There is a tense moment when running one particular scene. Sarah pretends to fall forward and Will catches her. Tahira falls forward and everyone in the audience winces. She has it under control and is in no danger, but from that height, it looks real! I imagine future audiences wincing at the exact moment, not knowing if she’s about to fall or not.
The clean, white blankness of the set acts as a canvas for the lighting and projection that creates the real and fantasy worlds of Will and Jiyoung’s lives. Clear, Pyrex cubes give the impression of blocks of ice, keeping within the polar bear theme of the title. Before the actual blocks arrived, they were rehearsing with some wooden ones and one plastic orange one.
Our designer, Shin Dong, was demonstrating how to use the ladder and jump down onto this plastic block. The drop must have been more than he was expecting because he landed on the block and it smashed right into a thousand pieces. He wasn’t hurt too badly but the cut he received was deep, so a trip into accident and emergency was needed.
I can assure you that no actors have been harmed in the making of this production, although the same can’t be said for the creative team!