Best Theatre Sets?

Biased on this one and no doubt lots of people have heard me drone on on this topic. As I mourn how basic lots of sets are these days.
But the mega musical sets were insane and have never (for me) really been bettered.
And most of those were John Napier - so original versions of Cats, Starlight Express, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon and Sunset Boulevard. Of the non Napier stuff, Bjornson's Aspects of Love set was epic.

The only remnant of this era that lives on is the Bochum Starlight Express set, which is easily to me the best set in the world currently.

As for London now - even with the changes, I still think Phantom and Les Mis have fantastic sets. Despite the set being almost non existent, the overall design made Sunset Boulevard at The Savoy visually breathtaking (don't think I have ever seen a simple set look so stunning). Frozen I guess does evoke the mega era. BTTF I went in with high expectations as people were saying was technically very impressive but confess the car effect aside, didn't think was that exciting!

The original version of Bat Out of Hell had a great set. Imposing and evocative.

Cabaret set as such is pretty simple but the fact the theme is carried through the auditorium is impressive.

And then Moulin Rouge is pretty visually spectacular!

And I guess Wicked and Lion King are pretty impressive.... Or at least were. Not seen Lion King for about 25 years!

I have seen Les mis and Starlight express but it's got to be 15+ years ago so can't really remember the sets.

Moulin Rouge is on my to-see list, but perhaps I should make it more of a priority to see it sooner rather than later.

I suppose a lot of the wow-factor for BTTF comes from having a screen in front that does a lot of the heavy work.

When I think of impressive sets, it's not purely that one set looks great, but also the amount. For example, I think the whole high rise set of Standing at the sky's edge looks great - but that's all there is to it. Same with Harry Potter, but at least it has a tons of effects to make up for it.

I much prefer sets that covers a range of locations, like in for example Elf and Witches even if parts of them are basic.



theatreian: Interesting.
I know Mary Poppins comes out late this year. Is it likely to be the same set?

I really liked the set for Strangers on a Train, which was in the West End about 10 years ago. The set pieces were continually coming on and off stage using a revolve, most impressively in a pivotal scene involving a merry-go-round.

One of the first things I saw, and still one of my favourite sets, was Theatr Clwyd’s production of Glengarry Glen Ross. The short first act all happened on a thrust stage set in a Chinese restaurant. Simple design, lots of red and black, back walls with screen in front of the doors, with all the action happening around a table on a revolve. Act 2 happens in the characters’ office, so it was all change during the interval. The table and the revolve were taken away, as were the walls revealing the much deeper office set behind, including a smaller manager’s office, stairs leading down under the stage, and a window at the back with rain running down it and the top of a street lamp visible beyond that. They laid down carpet, lowered fluorescent strip lights from above, brought out desks, chairs, etc. and then threw papers around to make it look ransacked. Was fascinating to watch the total transformation of the space, as well as quite funny seeing all the double takes from people returning from the bar.

Have to agree with every word of BVM here. And maybe add Time to Napier’s hugely impressive array of riches.

There will never be a set which more perfectly fitted the play as that for the Young Vic 2015 production of Caryl Churchill's "A Number" which was sensational - I couldn't even have thought that such a thing was technically possible - although the set for the 1998 NT production of Pinter's "Betrayal" was close.

Andrew Bridge’s lighting rig was also pretty spectacular… Time - LSI (April 1986)

Moulin Rouge, Newsies, Original Production of Ghost, Original Production of Cats... a few that come to mind