BOLTON'S Octagon Theatre opens its autumn/winter season later this month with Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night.

Doreen Crowther talks to the play's designer Patrick Connellan

AWARD-winning designer Patrick Connellan is very much at home in Bolton's Octagon Theatre.

The freelance designer from Coventry last designed for, and directed, the critically acclaimed production of Popcorn at the theatre. But he has also designed for a number of other productions there.

His involvement with Twelfth Night started with the auditions. "Mark Babych, the play's director, very kindly included me in the auditions, which is unusual," he said. "I am interested in the whole process of the play, not just the design."

Patrick is designing both the set and costumes for the play -- something which is usual in this country.

The ideas for the set come first and Patrick said: "Mark and I have such a good working relationship that I can't say whether the ideas for it came from him or me."

This production of Twelfth Night is set "vaguely in the 1930s" and Patrick stressed the "vaguely". He said: "We thought the play takes place in quite a decadent setting with plenty of drinking and that seemed to suit the 1930s."

But he said there were aspects of the play which seemed to recall Cuba in the 1950s.

After more discussions, it was decided a black and gold set, something "like a mausoleum" would be appropriate, reflecting the deaths referred to in the play and the theme of unrequited love.

And lighting will also be a factor in changing the atmosphere in different scenes. "I aim to make it look like a Jacobean set," Patrick said. He carried out some research into the period and studied photographs. Then it was time to design a model on a scale of one to 25.

He also produces coloured scale models of the actors for the set, and, unlike some designers, does this without making drawings first. He used to painstakingly make look-alike models but found that not only was this time consuming but actors used to steal the figures for souvenirs of their performances.

For this production, Patrick has raised the floor level of the stage, which enables trap doors to be used. "But I had to remember that the actresses would be wearing high heels and I should be aware of grills in the trap doors," he said.

He is always keen to see a run-through when he finds out for certain whether his ideas make sense, but there is always the possibility of change as the play progresses.

Patrick designs all the costumes and oversees details like jewellery, shoes and hair for the production. "I love all that," he said.

He would like the actors to have more say about their costumes, but the tight schedules make this impossible. But he is always happy to have a "full and frank" discussion with an actor about costumes and will back down if he thinks he has made a mistake.

Everything comes together -- or should do -- for the technical rehearsal two or three days before opening night.

Then the audience will find out whether they agree with Patrick's assessment of Twelfth Night, which is: "An original and interesting approach to the play."

Twelfth Night runs from September 23 to October 6.