by Kate Burnett

Make/Believe is a full colour, fully illustrated celebration of design for performance by over 150 UK designers between 2011-2015. The title Make/Believe indicates the skills, vision and commitment found in the diversity of contemporary performance design and the ravishing visuals that make UK designers sought after worldwide. Make/Believe includes: Dick Bird’s stage designs for Kate Bush, Colin Richmond’s beautiful Wendy and Peter for the Royal Shakespeare Company; Marie-Jeanne Lecca’s spectacular costumes for The Magic Flute on the Bregenz lake stage in Austria; work by international designers Richard Hudson and Bob Crowley, Tom Piper’s memorable Tower of London Poppies installation with ceramicist Paul Cummins, Es Devlin’s designs for the 2012 Olympics closing event and for Myley Cyrus Bangerz World Tour. Wildworks are included with the Michael Sheen Port Talbot Passion, as are Neil Murray’s magical Steptoe & Son for Kneehigh and a gritty Threepenny Opera for Graeae. Landscape and found space performance includes work by Louise Ann Wilson, and Leslie Travers’ Grimes on the Beach at Aldeburgh. Make/Believe includes spectacular work by lighting designers and a CD-ROM by the Association of Sound Designers in the book cover, short essays and commentaries by performance designers and their collaborators, along with biographies and indexes. Make/Believe is an invaluable and accessible resource for students, teachers and anyone interested in contemporary performance.