Marise and Ali have been working together as a team for the past 12 years in theatre, opera, pantomime, carnival and on outdoor spectacular events.Their work has developed a distinctive style based on the idea that the design must not only produce a setting for a play but must be integral to the concept and realisation of the production, changing and developing with the piece and transporting the audience from mundane reality to a visual world of the Imagination.
They have explored the use of colour, texture and painting to create illusions of depth and space and also created sculptural structures which can be manipulated, combined or built together to actually transform the space. They have a hands on approach often carrying the design through to the final building and painting.
They have worked with Opera North, Northern Ballet Theatre and Glyndebourne Opera; designed many touring sets for Major Road Theatre Co. and Red Ladder Theatre Co. and pantomime sets for Wakefield Opera House for the past three years. They also designed the lead floats for Bradford Festival (1992-97) and recently made a float for Peter Minshall's entry in the Trinidad Carnival. They have a long association with Pilot Theatre of which "Lord of the Flies" is the eleventh production they have designed.