Soph Luker - Cartoon Scenic Design

Steve Yockey's play CARTOON is a darkly comic, violently surreal social commentary set in a cartoon world populated by highly-stereotypical characters. The plot is sparked when the anarchist Trouble steals the giant hammer of the young dictator, Esther, shattering the monotonous order she maintains. This initial act of rebellion unleashes escalating, absurdist chaos and brutal violence among the characters, creating a spectacle that eventually breaches the fourth wall. Using the familiar, simplistic aesthetic of cartoons, the play ultimately serves as a critique of contemporary issues, examining the dangerous convergence of media, politics, and consumerism, and forcing the audience to confront the real-world implications of normalized conflict and unquestioning obedience. The scenic design by Soph Luker, inspired by children’s programs like Captain Kangaroo, layered the setting with a live film studio aesthetic. This design choice amplified the play's themes by enhancing the feeling of the audience being complicit and trapped within the escalating chaos. This design involved drafting deceptively simple rounded shapes and levels, as well as engineering special effect props like the large alarm clock that is smashed during the performance.