The Brief
Our brief was to create an awe inspiring, completely bespoke New Year’s Eve show to impress a group of 200 elite guests on a luxurious private island, in the heart of the Maldives. The expectation from the island was high, “Our guests have seen and heard everything before”, with many visiting the island for the Christmas period on multiple occasions.
Not a small feat! After some serious round table brainstorming, we came to the conclusion that the only way to achieve the kind of show required for this brief was to create a high-end theatrical performance piece, based on an exciting, unexpected and unique concept. Something conceptual and highly creative that hadn’t been done before.
…This is how our bespoke show, METAMORPHOSIS : ART IN MOTION was created!
What We Did
As appropriate for the style of the show we began the design conceptually, creating the atmosphere and setting the scene. Large swirling artistic patterns in marbled paint became our backdrop, transforming into recognisable imagery in a stunning metamorphosis, leading us from one art movement to the next in a rush of colour and motion.
We visualised this concept in both the Video Graphics onstage and the Set Design across the event space. Gigantic, ornate gallery frames in gold were positioned as features onstage, designed as surrounds for a set of large LED screens for the stage design, and as return screens around the event space. The Video Graphics were centred around waves of marbled paint in our main palette of deep red and sparkling gold. As each act commenced the swirls of paint would morph into visuals to reflect each theme onstage.
Overhead, the concept of waves of paint were realised with long, flowing swags of fabric that passed through a set of hanging golden frames, cementing the idea of art in motion. The fabric was draped in alternating heights and angles across the event space, in a varied A-symmetric pattern. High end Satin with a soft sheen was mixed with soft, translucent Voile to create stunning depth and texture. The golden frames were illuminated with glowing LED strip lighting, controlled by DMX to flash and colour change, in sync with the action onstage below.
What We Did
The show would take place over a three-hour dinner service, leading up to a grand finale at midnight. As such we decided to split the performances into four acts, inspired by six established artists; Act 1 – Dali, Act 2 – Kusama and Lichtenstein, Act 3 – Banksy transitioning into Magritte, Act 4 – Picasso. Each act would be intro’d and narrated by our protagonist, the Artist. The Artist as our main host was accompanied by a co-host; two characters taken from traditional theatre; the Opera Singer (playing the Artist) and the Ballerina.
Every detail of the show was then meticulously created and planned from the ground up. Our composer designed a powerful score incorporating new music filled with arousing instrumentals and emotive vocals, reflecting the atmosphere, movement and velocity of each act. Contemporary tracks were interspersed throughout, to motivate and add energy to the audience’s experience. Our choreographer then worked closely with the composer, creating an incredible series of dynamic movement and dance sets to reflect the music and overarching theme, performed by a troupe of stunning professional dancers. Once we had the base layer of the performance created, we were then ready to introduce the icing on the cake – our bespoke acrobatic performances! Think contortionists, silk ribbon performers, acro-balance duos and eye watering acrobatics. All finessed beautifully to tie in with each act’s theme and vision.
What We Did
Our fabulous costume designer was then able to take his concepts so far and begin fittings – measuring, sewing, printing and pattern cutting with his team of lovely costumiers. Every performer had an individual costume for each of the four acts, with the Opera Singer and Ballerina changing multiple times. Every costume was bespoke often involving a painstaking process of printing imagery onto the fabric, followed by an embellishing process of 3D accessories and thousands of glittering rhinestones.
At this point we were moving at pace into full production mode. Rehearsals were underway, the set build had begun, and shipping containers were being frantically booked, along with team flights and air freight. Our production manager was prepping the carnet for shipment, which as we were travelling to the other side of the world needed to be completed and the first shipments sent, an incredible six months in advance of New Year’s Eve!
The Show
ACT 1:
The Artist began the show with an explosive introduction featuring the Ballerina transforming into a stunning butterfly with floating, chiffon printed wings. This intro lead into an act influenced by Dali’s work the Persistence of Memory. Melting clock graphics filling the screen dripping onto stylized trees before making way to a desert landscape as the stage filled with dancers in futuristic techno club costumes contorting like ants from the Persistence of Memory. Long legged stilt walkers in reflective silver costumes circling the audience from behind.
ACT 2:
Yayoi Kusama’s famous dots inspired the design of the second act, with the performers dressed in orange and black dotted Lycra, in front of a backdrop of morphing orange bubbles on screen. The movement of the piece reflected the awkward and often uncomfortable concepts behind Kusama’s work, with the dancers migrating across the stage in unison, yet remaining unique. The end of Kusama merged seamlessly into a mind-blowing aerial performance based on Lichtenstein’s work ‘Girl with Hair Ribbon’. Our acrobatic duo performed a swirling performance at height, on a long golden silk ribbon incorporated into the scenic design.
ACT 3:
The Ballerina enters the stage in a pure white tutu holding a floating red balloon for the start of the third act. This act was inspired by the art of Banksy and supported by original graphics of an illustrated brick wall, with a little girl chasing a red balloon, on screens behind. As the Ballerina reaches centerstage the Artist approaches with a pair of graffiti cans – spraying her with paint as she pirouettes, transforming her white tutu in a colourful spectacle. The scene climaxes as a trio of free-runners race onto stage in striped prison attire. The trio tumble and backflip across the stage as they attempt to steal a rare art piece from a large printed crate, in a dramatic movement piece. As the scene draws to a close the lights dim, and an ominous tone presents. A tall Headless Man appears, spotlit in the central gold frame. A petite femme fatale in red and black snakeskin approaches through the audience – the man hands her a large apple, linking to the artist Magritte and spurring her into an engaging contortion act. As the audience holds their breath our contortionist balances precariously on an acro balance post. In a totally unique act, she fires an arrow using just her feet, straight into the prop apple, whilst balanced upside down!
ACT 4:
The final act was a homage to Picasso, with beautiful printed costumes inspired by designs of the Ballet Russe, reflected in dynamic visuals on the massive LED screen. Our choreographer created an original Ballet for this scene, to an original score, that told the story of the Metamorphoses of the protagonist as he transforms for his muse. The Ballet led us into the finale as all performers came together on stage, along with the band and hosts to countdown to midnight and welcome in the New Year. As we hit 2025 fireworks explode across the LED screens and confetti falls from above. One of the acrobats twirls gracefully in a glittering costume, perched above on an ornate aerial frame.
An incredible way to begin 2025 in the heart of the Maldives.
Happy New Year to everyone!
Highlights
Being given the opportunity to create a completely new show that was bespoke in every element from the concept to the choreography to the costumes and the music.
The costume design inspired by Kusama. The black and orange dotted costumes along with the Ballerina’s red and white leotard were eye catching and impactful.
The moment the lights were set, and the central Voile drape was removed for the start of the show, the stunning stage design of long floating ribbons and hanging LED frames came to life.
Our contortionist and her incredible acro-balance act; performing upside down whilst shooting an arrow directly into a target 12ft away, holding and shooting the bow and arrow only with her feet.
Our aerial duo performing a romantic scene on their long silk ribbons, tying in perfectly to pop artwork inspired by ‘Girl with Hair Ribbon’.
The impressive 3D Frame within a Frame giant photobooth we build for guests to pose for photos inside an ornate golden picture frame.
The Picasso inspired Ballet Russes performance by the dance troupe was incredibly moving and striking in their bespoke painted costumes.
The grand finale and countdown to midnight was a spectacular moment that the guests were all up on their feet for!
Contact Us
Address
Boo Productions Ltd
Studio C, 23 Lombard Road,
Wimbledon,
London SW19 3TZ
Phone
020 8542 1480
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