The best & worst theatre sets

I would agree with Phantom and Wicked, incredible sets!

I really like the Kinky Boots set too.

Definitely agree on Gypsy, I like the detail of the many small sets, and even though they were not the most 'textured' sets. I like how the painted design reflect the character of the show.
Having not been born, and would have been way to young for the last years of the original Miss Saigon, I wasn't bothered that the set was scaled down, but the effects very pleasing.
City of Angels is probably my favourite, with Nell Gwynn and Hangmen also very credible.
Even though I generally find 'projection sets' a bit of a cop out on the budget front, I was a fan of the Stephen Ward design, ...and show..., and liked the small set pieces mixed with projects so that the 'history' was dominant, but the overall effect lost in a too big theatre.
I can't think of any sets I didn't like, but generally my least favourite set of the small theatres has to be The Trial at the Young Vic, although that may be influenced by my hate of the version.

Yeah I forgot about Phantom! 

I I only saw the DRS tour but I really liked the way they flew in the majority of the scenery and I think the hotel set was very stylish. 

Oh oh I loved Gypsy! I really loved all the small sets they used that would come in on the trucks to create different rooms etc. Also liked the use of the small lift in the corner of the stage and the two doors on either side of the wings! 

I agree with people who said Kinky Boots. Simple set but very effective. Talking of Jerry Mitchell shows, I also liked the Legally Blonde set a lot!! 

I remember the commitments had quite an interesting set ,which was a model of a giant set of flats, which for some reason has stuck with me.The play that goes wrong also has a technically interesting set considering what happens to it and how they manage to do it.

I loved the Jamie Lloyd Faustus set, and the National's Threepenny Opera is brilliant - a great example of simple tools creating fantastic effects. Phantom, Saigon and Wicked are, of course, stunning.

The Matilda set is pretty incredible in my opinion as well!

I somehow managed to read the title of this thread as "The best theatre SEATS" and instantly prepared to go babbling about how I'd love to steal on of The Royal Court's wonderously comfy seats for my living room

Matilda and The Book of Mormon are my favorites.
The Curious Incident I don't know if it could be called a proper set but to me is stunning.
And I liked a lot the set of Gigi in the last broadway revival.
Tanz der Vampire deserve a mention too.
In the worst part... I remember I hated the old Miss Saigon set at the time, but right now I don't even remember said set or why I hated it.

Ooh that reminds me - the ENO sunset boulevard set is another example of how simplicity can be very effective.

I read the thread as Best and Worst Theatre Sex!

Best - King Charles III (Almeida)
Worst - Company (Albany)

Matilda has to be one of my favourite current sets. I loved the original Miss Saigon, the way things glided on and offstage, and the full size statue of Ho Chi Min (not the scaled down version we got in the revival) Also the original Whistle Down the Wind, with the highway that rose and fell was incredible.

Perhaps the ultimate production for me is when both set, acting, costume, lighting, directing, just every aspect of a production works hand in hand to deliver a truly magnificent experience

Mary Poppins, The Nether, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera...

That's what I learnt from the Michael Boyd's Histories season with Tom Piper's designs that spanned 8 histories. His Macbeth, As You Like It and Much Ado About Nothing sets were also great, and he worked with Paul Cummins on the poppy installment at the Tower of London back in 2014

On the otherhand you can get sets that are so ambitious that they can overshadow everything else. Like Benedict Cumberbatch and the cast of Hamlet last year

Added to Maria Bjornson's fabulous Phantom set should be her Aspects set at the Prince of Wales. That was stunning, especially when the back wall split and became the mountains. She also worked wonders on Follies at the Shaftesbury. A huge loss to the theatre...

Suprised Les Mis hasn't been mentioned yet. (It did used to be better in grey...) What John Napier came up with, effectively two piles of junk on a revolve, always used to draw gasps from the audience when they joined to become the barricade. His Cats at the New London was pretty revolutionary too in its day. The original Starlight set was phenomenal, and his Sun-set was quite breathtaking.

Another vote for Mary Poppins from me. Stunning.