In this production (major project part 2) I took on the role of Head of Running Wardrobe alongside Estelle Griffiths. The role included creating a running wardrobe bible with all the paperwork, organising the space in the theatre and running the wardrobe department during production. As well as collaborating with Estelle I also worked with the costume supervisors; Pippa Ebbage and her assistants Lauren Beeston and Namie Ma. We also had the responsibility of finding dressers and we had 4 in total making a team of 6 for production week. I thoroughly enjoyed this project as I had a lot of new experiences; taking part as a costume maker, being part of fittings and dress parade, observing rehearsals, taking part in a Get In and Get Out, Being in charge of the costume department and the dressers, working with a director during rehearsals and through production week, and being part of a physical theatre production. Before this project I didn't realise there were so many elements to being in Running Wardrobe.
As this production was devised by the company, inspired by the writings of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Pablo Neruda, we didn't have a script, meaning we had to observe rehearsals to understand the story and make a costume plot. As it was a piece of physical theatre there weren't clear cut scenes and acts, they all blended to create a flow to the story therefore we did a plot based off the sequences more than scenes. This made it more challenging to judge timings for changes but we watched a recording of the run through to work it out. This is where I realised everyone has a different way of doing things as I do my plots scene by scene but Estelle does hers minute by minute, having both versions helped us in the end.
As this production was devised by the company, inspired by the writings of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Pablo Neruda, we didn't have a script, meaning we had to observe rehearsals to understand the story and make a costume plot. As it was a piece of physical theatre there weren't clear cut scenes and acts, they all blended to create a flow to the story therefore we did a plot based off the sequences more than scenes. This made it more challenging to judge timings for changes but we watched a recording of the run through to work it out. This is where I realised everyone has a different way of doing things as I do my plots scene by scene but Estelle does hers minute by minute, having both versions helped us in the end.
costume_plot_fh.xlsx |
Making a costume garment.
I found it enlightening being on the receiving end of the designs instead of being the one drawing them as it made me realise just how much information needs to be conveyed to the maker within one image, but I found it a fun experience being able to see a garment I made onstage.
I volunteered to make an oversized tunic for the mother character, an oversized basic garment to go over a base chemise. I made a basic block pattern by tracing round an oversized sleeveless hoodie and lengthening it. I then used her measurements to make sleeve pattern pieces and made a calico toile as I know it wasn't the best pattern ever. At the fitting it fit Camille (actress) as required but the shape was too narrow, so after discussions with the designer and my tutor we decided to make it out of an altered chemise pattern so the shape of both garments would be the same so one would fit over the other comfortably. My tutor helped me alter the pattern so it was slightly wider and I then made the final garment. During the second fitting this fit her much better but the neckline was too wide, so we added a pleat in the front and back to bring in the neckline while keeping the shape. I completed these alterations while watching rehearsals. At the dress rehearsal it was decided that Camille's character needed to appear more undressed so the tunic was slashed open to make a robe that she could drape round her shoulders. I slip stitched the new edges while observing rehearsals. Then the costume was ready to use.
I volunteered to make an oversized tunic for the mother character, an oversized basic garment to go over a base chemise. I made a basic block pattern by tracing round an oversized sleeveless hoodie and lengthening it. I then used her measurements to make sleeve pattern pieces and made a calico toile as I know it wasn't the best pattern ever. At the fitting it fit Camille (actress) as required but the shape was too narrow, so after discussions with the designer and my tutor we decided to make it out of an altered chemise pattern so the shape of both garments would be the same so one would fit over the other comfortably. My tutor helped me alter the pattern so it was slightly wider and I then made the final garment. During the second fitting this fit her much better but the neckline was too wide, so we added a pleat in the front and back to bring in the neckline while keeping the shape. I completed these alterations while watching rehearsals. At the dress rehearsal it was decided that Camille's character needed to appear more undressed so the tunic was slashed open to make a robe that she could drape round her shoulders. I slip stitched the new edges while observing rehearsals. Then the costume was ready to use.
Rehearsals.
One of the best bits for me in this process (besides production week) was getting to watch rehearsals. I've never properly sat and seen rehearsals prior to a tech run before and it was fascinating to learn about the actors process, especially as they were devising the story. They would run through the story, adding in script when it was needed and working out choreography to portray things they didn't have props or set for. I watched them creating a contracting uterus for a birth scene, then become a forest, sounds and all, then they would work out how to transform into a library etc.. It was a real learning curve in physical theatre. At first these scenes seemed really weird to watch but the more you understand of the story and listen to the cast and director work out the emotional context the more it makes sense and by production week I couldn't imagine this show being done any other way. The actors really gave themselves to their roles and it was at times intense and slightly uncomfortable to watch them go to these dark places inside themselves but it was totally inspiring. It also meant I got more time with the actors and through observing them and talking to them in rehearsals I got to know them, which later helped me look after them during production week. It also meant I got to work with the director closer than I have done before, being almost a go between for him and the costume supervisors during rehearsals so everything got organised and the two departments were understanding what the other needed. This was great as I didn't feel as nervous going and talking to him or the production manager come show week which meant I got to make announcements to the cast about costume where needed because he'd give me the floor when I asked. He respected my role as I respected his and this was great for me as I still tend to see myself as beneath because I'm a student and they're professionals, it helped me to see myself as more on their level and be more assured to get on with what I needed to do.
Production week
Get In, techs, dress rehearsals, performances.
The Get In was a bit surreal as those not on a production handed in their project that day so I watched everyone else celebrating finishing their last uni project as I loaded costumes into the van. Once at the space (Pavilion Dance South West) we unloaded and prepped the Green Room as the costume area so the makeup team could use the dressing rooms as they had lighted mirrors. We had a quick scope of the backstage area as we hadn't managed to make it down for a visit earlier in the project. We set up a chair and box for each cast member, labelled, so they could put personal belongings in their box and put it under their chairs to keep the room tidy. We could then also use their chairs to set out their costumes. Everyone had either a base chemise, long nightshirt or shirt and breeches, all broken down, then either a nun or priest outfit and their character outfit, as they were ensemble when their characters weren't in the scene. This meant the changes were mainly in and out of religious garments.
The tech run were during the LX plotting. This meant the timings were off as it went much slower. This meant that when we did our first dress rehearsal we weren't prepared for a couple of scenes where we had to change priests and nuns at once and we missed half the cast's changes in those scenes. We knew that this was our opportunity to get it wrong and work out our schedule to fix it but this didn't stop us feeling bad about getting it wrong and making the actors panic. When your main job is looking after the actors seeing them panicked and thrown off because they missed a change is awful. We grouped with our dressers and our change lists and worked out a way to do those scenes and by the final dress rehearsal (in front of a school audience) it went smoothly and we felt so much better and pumped to do the opening night. I love dressing on shows as its really rewarding helping the actors put on a good show and seeing their excitement at having done well. I love helping people feel good and empowered and it makes me feel good to see them feel good. It was a special production for me and I won't ever forget the experience.
Get out and returns.
The Get Out was emotional as the cast had just finished their last performance of uni, we packed all the costumes back in their bags and loaded them onto the van, then the next Monday at uni we unloaded, washed and returned the costumes to the store or to the rail to be handed in if they were made by students. We packed returns to costume houses and returned all the other pieces to the store in AUB's Elliott Road studio. Then it was our turn to hand in our last project of university.