A Monster Calls

Patrick Ness’s piercing novel A Monster Calls is brought to The Old Vic stage in a powerful new adaptation by visionary director Sally Cookson.

In A Monster Calls, Thirteen-year-old Conor and his mum have managed just fine since his dad moved to America. But now his mum’s very sick and she’s not getting any better. His grandmother won’t stop interfering and the kids at school won’t look him in the eye.

Then, one night, at seven minutes past midnight, Conor is woken by something at his window. A monster has come walking. It’s come to tell Conor tales from when it walked before. And when it’s finished, Conor must tell his own story and face his deepest fears.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness has now become a stage production directed by Sally Cookson in a co-production between The Old Vic theatres in London and Bristol. The tormented imagination of a boy coming to terms with his mother’s illness is delivered with live music, integral aerial work and projection, lighting and sound.

This first stage adaptation has been devised with close collaboration between the creative team who together filmed all the content used in the video design. The projection design allowed for the uninterrupted use of aerial rope work across the stage and close proximity to the full width projection surface without shadowing.

Client:
The Old Vic

Location:
Bristol Old Vic, 2018
London Old Vic, 2019
UK Tour 2019

Services:
Video & Projection Design
Content Creation

Team:
Video Designer: Dick Straker
Associate Designer: Daniel Denton
Programmer: Dan Trenchard
Programmer: Mollie Tuttle

Production Credits:
Director: Sally Cookson
Set Designer: Michael Vale
Costume Designer: Katie Sykes
Lighting Designer: Aideen Malone
Sound Designer: Mike Beer
Composer: Benji Bower

Photos:
© Old Vic Manuel Harlan
© DS / Mesmer