Hi Jackie,
Why not make your dial with a moveable, pseudo-shadow (i.e. a very
visible, dark strip on the dial face) which you can move/ adjust during
scene changes to the appropriate hour. That would possibly get the
effect you're after without the difficult problems of lighting to which
others have referred.
best wishes,
Peter
On 3/04/2014 11:47 PM, John Davis wrote:
Hi Jackie,
That sounds an interesting project.
To answer your question about what sort of sundial a hard-up doctor
might have had in 1613, I think the most likely type would have been a
pocket dial, either a small round wooden one like those found on the
Mary Rose (there are modern replicas that could be used as a prop) or an
ivory diptych one.
If he had a garden horizontal, the likelihood is that it would be a
small, square horizontal one. Wall sundials weren't usually found on
private houses at that time, except for the rich - see the
reconstruction of the Stutton Hall one in the BSS Bulletin a couple of
years ago.
If you stretch a point and do have a wall dial, it will be quite
difficult to illuminate it so that the shadow is visible. The main
illumination would need to come from a powerful spotlight which changed
its position to simulate different times (or even dates). A practical
solution would be to have a series of spotlights appropriately placed.
The other requirement would be that any other light falling on the dial
(as general background illumination) was minimised.
Good luck!
John
------------------------------------------------
Dr J Davis
Flowton Dialshttp://www.flowton-dials.co.uk/
BSS Editor http://www.sundialsoc.org.uk/bulletin.php
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* Jackie Jones <jac...@waitrose.com>
*To:* Sundial Mailing List <sundial@uni-koeln.de>
*Sent:* Wednesday, 2 April 2014, 17:12
*Subject:* Theatrical sundial
Dear All,
I am involved with a local theatre in the production of a play which
takes place in 1613 in the herb garden of a doctor in Stratford on
Avon. I am suggesting to the producer and set designer that a sundial
may be a good idea either on the house wall or on a pedestal in the
garden. But before I get too deep into ideas, could you please confirm
that this is correct and what sort of sundial would a country doctor
who is not very wealthy have?
If a dial is on the house wall, I would like to suggest that, if the
lighting can be arranged, for the shadow to move to show the passing of
the day from one scene to another. Does anyone know if this has been
done on stage before?
The production is not until June, but we have just started the designs
and rehearsals.
With best wishes,
Jackie
Jackie Jones
50° 50’ 09” N 0° 07’ 40” W
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Peter Mayer
Discipline of Politics & International Studies (POLIS)
School of History & Politics
http://www.arts.adelaide.edu.au/historypolitics/
The University of Adelaide, AUSTRALIA 5005
Ph : +61 8 8313 5609
Fax : +61 8 8313 3443
e-mail: peter.ma...@adelaide.edu.au
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