Jacques Cooney Adlard
Jacques Cooney Adlard
Jacques Cooney Adlard is an award-winning Melbourne-based lighting designer and graphic designer. Graduating from the University of Melbourne with a double major in Graphic Design and Performance Design, Jacques has developed a diverse creative skillset that bridges visual design and theatrical storytelling. Throughout his studies, he gained extensive experience in lighting design, serving as the Technical Director and Lighting Designer for various student productions through Union House Theatre.
As president of the Graphic Design Club, Jacques has led initiatives that encouraged creative collaboration and innovation among students. His freelance work includes logo design, poster design, brand strategy, and theatrical lighting design, where he brings a cohesive aesthetic approach to all his projects. With a passion for lighting design, Jacques looks forward to pursuing a career in theatre, blending his graphic and performance design skills
My design for Macbeth explores the absence of stability as the “natural order” unravels around the characters. Inspired by Hearst Castle’s grandeur, the set places Macbeth's world in a rotating dining hall suspended in a void, symbolising the kingdom’s fragility under his rule.
The stage is unsettling, with monochromatic floors and walls that rotate to reflect the breakdown of the natural order‚ steady and right-side-up under Duncan but tilting as Macbeth’s ambition disturbs the kingdom’s stability. Framed by darkness, the hall "floats" in isolation, observed by the witches outside the rotating sphere, suggesting their unique view of fate and prophecy.
Lighting transforms the static hall into diverse settings, from soft exteriors suggesting outdoor spaces to moody interiors, heightening Macbeth’s psychological descent. Top lighting becomes side lighting to uplighting, creating a surreal environment that amplifies the kingdom’s plunge into chaos. Thus, the set’s ornate yet abstract style creates a macabre dreamscape where Macbeth enacts his bloody reign.