Are You the Last Slice? Unveiling the Layers of Set Design in Yafei Hu's Latest Production

Written by: Tom White

In the world of theater, set design plays a crucial role in bringing narratives to life, creating an immersive experience for the audience. For Yafei Hu, the opportunity to design the set for "Are You the Last Slice" was particularly compelling. Inspired by the director's vision, Yafei aimed to explore the complex and often troubling dynamics of relationships between mature men and younger women—a theme that resonates deeply in contemporary society.

During the theatrical design practices in the past years, Yafei has already established herself as an unignorable new force in the theatre world. She received her academic training first in Milan, Italy, and then at the well-known School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon University. Such experience built her solid foundation in scenic design. At the same time, her journey between different cultural circumstances pushes her to keep speculating common problems shared between different societies and trying to explore how to discuss such problems through theatre design and production. In this case, Are You the Last Slice? has become a perfect opportunity.

The journey began when Yafei saw a social media post from the director, Yixin, outlining her vision for the production. The narrative centers around the unequal power dynamics in these relationships, a phenomenon that is not only common but often romanticized in society. Yafei was drawn to the idea of a cake as the central motif of the stage, symbolizing the sweet illusions that young women may face when caught in such dynamics.

In developing the initial concept for the set design, Yafei engaged in thoughtful discussion with the director on how to represent the romanticization and the disguise of the dangerous and unequal relationship. In this production, Yafei tried to visually invite the audience to believe in the moment's sweetness, break the dream, and finally reveal the dark truth. The delightful, puffy decorations serve as a seductive façade for young, inexperienced girls who believe they are lucky to be in love. At the same time, the underlying darkness represents the betrayal and confusion that can ensue when the truth is revealed. She believes that to catch the attention of the audience in social problems, getting them emotionally involved is essential, only as they start to feel the discomfort, the desperation immersed in the story, they will begin to think deeper into this problem, being award of similar situations in real life and eventually to make a difference. Yafei believes that the power of theater lies in such an impact. 

Yafei’s previous works, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and I think I’m starting to want to be a mother, are both works that discuss universal and timeless problems. In The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, by putting the 1920s movie masterpiece The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari on the stage of Berliner ensemble and staging them in a contemporary location, The Union Trust Building in Pittsburgh, the show put the 3 epoch into one singular space underlines the forever question of power. Just like in Are You the Last Slice? To be able to discuss these forever-existing questions, she designed a timeless set with panels of just irregular shapes and harsh and bold brush strokes inspired by Franz Kline. “In representing universality, emotional involvement always overplays authenticity of time and space. Emotion and empathy are always the biggest motivations”, says Yafei.

Besides ideology and design theory, Yafei is also a thoughtful and sophisticated executor in putting the show into life. The design utilized lightweight, soft materials to construct the cake's exterior, allowing for a dramatic reveal during the performance. The outer layer, merely a fabric adorned with cake ornaments, could be easily torn away by the dancer to expose the darker core of the cake visual metaphor for the unsettling truth hidden beneath the surface.

Sourcing materials within a limited timeline presented additional challenges. With constraints on resources, Yafei focused on safety while constructing the set. Innovative solutions, including camping staircases to create a weight-bearing structure, emerged as crucial elements of the design process. 

For Yafei, the performance's online broadcast provides an opportunity to reach a wider audience and raise awareness about these critical themes on a global scale. Yafei envisions the potential impact of the production, hoping to resonate with those who may have experienced similar situations and to remind witnesses of their role in such dynamics.

"Are You the Last Slice" is more than just a performance; it is a poignant exploration of the complexities of love, power, and the illusions that can ensnare young women. Through her thoughtful set design, Yafei Hu enhances the narrative and challenges audiences to confront the realities of toxic relationships and the societal norms that perpetuate them. For Yafei, theatre is her way of recording and expressing her opinion. She will take this experience as a precious memory of sharing thoughts and communicating with the audience. Such interaction will always motivate her to work in the theatre world, and more meaningful works will be brought to the audience in her future career.

Photo Credit: Yafei Hu