Designing costume for When You See It has, so far, been a challenging process. Deciding what myself and my fellow performers should wear when, for the most part, we are not portraying distinguishable characters but are simply being generic actors, is far from easy. Thankfully, after a workshop with director Laura, my costume ideas have begun to flourish. As preliminary preparation for the Billy and Dolly through-line scenes which Tom and myself will be performing, Laura made us watch Theatre ad Infinitum’s Translunar Paradise. The production was inspiring and not only aided the development of mine and Tom’s scenes, but also influenced my ideas for costume.
Instead of full costume, Translunar Paradise invites you to ‘experience a journey of life, death, and enduring love’ (DESIGN Blast Factory, 2015) through minimal, suggestive clothing. For example, both actors use elderly looking masks to depict their advancing years. The show taught me that full costume is not always necessary and, in some cases, can be a threat, especially when it risks substituting ‘independent values for the signification of the staged action’ (Collins and Nisbet, 2012, 205). It has persuaded me to dress the performers who do not play specific characters in casual attire. A colour scheme could be employed to provide the same visual consistency that full costume would achieve, to prevent the audience from being distracted by multiple colours on stage. The cast members who do play identifiable characters, namely Tom and myself during the Billy and Dolly scenes, will, as inspired by Translunar Paradise, don minimal costume to ‘function as a mobile piece of scenery connected to life’ (Pavis and Shants, 1998, 81). I am particularly interested in using hats as a continuing emblem for Billy. I plan to source a groom’s hat for the couple’s wedding, an army cap for Billy’s departure and a flat cap to depict his age progression. The use of minimalist costume, and when to employ it, will be something I shall continue to explore.
Work Cited:
Collins, J. and Nisbet, A. (2012) Theatre and Performance Design: A Reader in Scenography. London: Routledge.
DESIGN Blast Factory (2015) Translunar Paradise. [online] Alton: DESIGN Blast Factory. Available from http:/www.theatreadinfinitum.co.uk/productions/translunar-paradise/ [Accessed 21 April 2015].
Pavis, P. And Shantz, C. (1998) Dictionary of the Theatre: Terms, Concepts and Analysis. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Sogmann (2011) Translunar Paradise Trailer – Theatre Ad Infinitum Ltd. [online video] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w5DUdKaL_E [Accessed 21 April 2015].
Translunar Paradise (2012) [photograph] Available from: http://bealtaine.com/marys-bealtaine-blog/translunar-paradise [Accessed 21 April].
Translunar Paradise (2013) [photograph] Available from: https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/events/2013/10/14/translunar-paradise/ [Accessed 21 April].