CINDY LIN

How long have you been working in theatre?

Seven Years.

Have you always worked as a designer?

I've always worked as a set and costume designer, but have also assisted other designers.

Do you have a favorite design out of your own work? What about this design do you feel proud of?

I think one of my favorite designs out of my body of work is still my first show, 'Electra'. This show was done at the end of my MA program at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. I had so much support from faculty and students, along with more time than usual to develop the design. Every design decision was well thought out and intentional.

Do you see the transitions that have happened in your career during the past few years, as being beneficial to your practice?

I think as I’ve grown more experienced and developed my practice, I have seen more of the theatre industry’s flaws and that has made me better at negotiating for better wages and work conditions. When I first entered into the theatre industry, I was extremely eager to learn and willing to say yes to any productions that came my way (which can be good), however I did not know my own worth and therefore placed myself in precarious situations. Now that I know my worth, I am more confident to ask for my needs to be met and feel like I have more agency over my work.

What is the guiding force behind your design work? Was there a specific approval that you are after? If not, how do you know whether or not the work was up to your standards?

The guiding force behind my design work is simply my love for storytelling and wanting to pair stories with the best possible visuals to tell those stories. I’m not after anyone’s approval. I do think creating theatre is a collaborative process so there needs to be cohesion and agreement, but I don’t aim to please anyone. I think when designers serve the play text and are open to collaboration, then they are bound to create good work. I also take a lot of pride in my work and work extremely hard (often to my own detriment). Because I give my all to my work I always know that the work is up to my standards.

Is there a recent design that you have seen that has really made you happy with the current direction of scenic design?

I thoroughly enjoyed Se Oh’s design for ‘Man of God’ at the Geffen Playhouse. I think Se and the director, Maggie Burrows, had an incredibly clear vision for the play and created a clever design that beautifully held great tension and hilarity. The whole creative team and cast are fantastic.

When you started your career, who were the designers or artists that you were influenced by?

When I started my career, I was heavily influenced by whoever I was assisting. I learned so much in various studios—what I liked and didn’t like about other designers’ practices—and from those experiences I was able shape my own practice. Some designers I’ve assisted include Vicki Mortimer, Tom Scutt, Naomi Dawson, Jon Bausor, Katrina Lindsay, Madeleine Boyd, and Sibyl Wickersheimer. In terms of design inspiration, Bunny Christie has always been a designer I’ve admired.

Is there a particular way of working that you find yourself more attracted to? What strategies do you use to share your ideas?

I am definitely attracted to productions that value time for research and development. Oftentimes in theatre I find that there isn’t enough time to ruminate on ideas, try things out, welcome failure and learn from it. There’s often a tight deadline and so people retract to what they know will work rather than being truly innovative in a safe space. Before I share my ideas, I try to figure out how the director and creative team best communicate with one another and if they can easily visualize space. From there, I determine how to best share my ideas. I find that models are generally very helpful tools and, because I am a decent model maker, I have often made quick white card models to communicate my ideas.

Do female designers collaborate differently than their male counterparts?

As someone who has assisted many designers, I have had the opportunity to see how different female and male designers hold themselves in various spaces and collaborate. I definitely think there is a difference. Based on the pool of designers I’ve worked with, I have found male designers to have more bravado and therefore push the limits given to them, especially when it comes to budget. The female designers I have worked with tend to be more considerate about their parameters and honestly do more than their job requires in order keep the team moving forward. I think female designers are often concerned about being seen as a weak link in the chain and that’s why they go above and beyond, to prove a point to their male counterparts (which is frustrating and yet I completely empathize and have done the same).

What are your hopes for theatre in the U.S.?

To be honest, I am not as familiar with theatre in the States as I am with British theatre and that’s because I fell in love with theatre while in the UK and that prompted me to move there to study and work. I think the UK and Europe's boldness to experiment in theatre is incredibly admirable and I hope I see more of that in the US.