Drag Baby
Set and Costume DesignThe audience are seated in the middle of a cluttered and messy dressing room, credit to Lu Herbert (Set & Costume Designer) as the chaotic dressing room really mirrors the chaos about to unravel and so we immediately know what to expect from a show like this. Quite often productions can forget that the set itself holds so much visual power when telling a story and I think Herbert nailed it with this one.” – London Pub Theatres
“For a short – roughly one hour – one-act play, it was obvious that a lot of thought had gone into the design and Lu Herbert’s set and costumes were spot on.” – London Theatre 1
Lu Herbert’s design beautifully elevates every aspect of Carroll’s nuanced script. The meticulous contrast in Dan and Nathan’s costuming is also present in Sally and her girlfriend Sandra’s. Each element, be it a sequined-jacket or a cellophone lanyard, adds its own bit of context and personality. The glitzy-yet-shabby dressing room set is overflowing with intimate glimpses into Dan’s character and comfortable frames for the moment-in-time conversations that make up the heart of the story. The expansion of the set into the theatre, pride protest signs and posters of the expected divas plastered across the walls, mirrors standing in aisles, and alcohol bottles stashed about the seats, envelops the audience completely in the play’s world, perhaps even prompting us to question where we may fall within it. – Theatre and Tonic
ith the action taking place entirely on Lu Herbert’s deliberately cramped, realistically-cluttered dressing room set, the intimacy of the performances and the careful direction of the piece helps us to realise how insular and small this story is, as well as how grand and all-encompassing it feels from within. – All that Dazzles
Lu Herbert’s set design gives us the intimate insight of a Drag Queen’s backstage dressing room; the glitz and glamour of feather boas and sequin jackets paired with a messy makeup table and high heels lying haphazardly on the floor. We’re given permission to see behind the curtain, both methaphoically and literally in Grace Carroll’s Drag Baby, a story of identity and chosen family. – West End Best Friend
The scene was set from the moment we, the audience, arrived. We were sat inside a drag queens sparkle-tastic dressing room. From sequins on the left to some of the most eclectic wigs on the right and the perfect lit up back-stage-mirror in the centre. Not forgetting the array of colour from the feather bowers and the silver sparkle back drop, of course. – A Youngish Perspective
With a charming set design from Lu Herbert, audiences are made at home in the disorganised glamour of Dan’s dressing room (complete with a cracked mirror and a wine-stained carpet), who is excited that they are about to entertain producers for a big drag show. – Adventures in Theatreland
Lu Herbert’s artfully chaotic set takes us to a backstage dressing room, home to drag artist, Dan, all cluttered and scattered with innumerable choices of costume. It doubles as the stage too, as we get samples of Dan’s acts, including Dolly Parton, while he hones his act with an eye on a big break into TV. – Plays to See
- Director Joseph Winer
- Writer Grace Carroll
- Producer Joe Brown
- Set and Costume Designer Lu Herbert
- Lighting Designer Caelan Oram
- Production Manager Carrie Croft
- Movement Director Olivia Heggs
- Company Stage Manager Maddie Whiffin
- Year 2024
- Photography Harry Elletson