Lucas Benjaminh Krech

Desperate Hours was produced in 2008 at the Barter Theater in Virginia. The play is a Film Noir piece from 1955 based on the novel of the same name.

Desperate Hours presented several interesting design challenges to the creative team. Rather than designing in black and white with heavy makeup and wigs in gray, we pushed the colors of the production into the human palette. Brown, champagne, and cream became our color vocabulary.

We were also interested in a naturalistic look with lighting motivated through the use of practicals. While the opening scene is bright and full of light, as we progress into night, we shift to an ever more severe and shadowed look.

For the final showdown with the police, we flood the house with crisp white light from their search lights. A single table lamp remains lit in the house as the husband confronts the leader of the criminals who have terrorized his family for the last 24 hours.