Nosferatu Character Realisation

Last week I finished my final term of my second year at London College of Fashion where I had the opportunity to collaborate with other BA Costume students and BA Makeup and Prosthetics students which has been such a privilege. It’s always such a great experience working with other talented designers where we can share ideas and come up with a strong concept.

This unit of my course was based around film where we had to base our research around a chosen director. In a group of six students we had to come up with a concept, overall setting for the 1922 vampire film ‘Nosferatu’ as if it would be remade by Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Pacific Rim, Blade 2 etc.).

Portfolio pages

Our piece was set in a post-apocalyptic world underground where each character is developing their own animalistic qualities – in keeping with Del Toro’s love for creatures.

Jess Goddard and I collaborated with each other to design for the vampire ‘Nosferatu’ taking inspiration from the stereotypical animal that’s associated with vampires: the bat, along with something a little different, the angler fish from the deep sea. Like the 1922 film, we wanted shadow to play a reasonably big part in our design. We experimented with shadow and silhouette to create an abnormal body shape that would hint at his animalistic qualities.

Costume Design: Bryony Hamer
Makeup and Prosthetics Design: Jess Goddard

Knock, Ellen, Count Orlok

'Knock'

Model: Grace Fisher

Costume: Anastaysia Honchar

Make up: Rosie Duffeild

A special thank you for Elizabeth Hedley for assisting us with hair and make up on the day

'Ellen'

Model: Ellis Yates

Costume: Danna Cazmal

Wig, Make up and Prosthetics: Molly Peters

'Count Orlok'

Model: Stefanie Kemp

Costume: Bryony Hamer

Make up and Prosthetics: Jess Goddard

Thanks to Claudiu Berechet for the great photos and a biiiig thank you to our models for being so wonderful and surviving in the heat!

National Theatre Open Day

A couple of days ago I was lucky enough to be able to visit the National Theatre workrooms and complete a mini workshop in their womenswear department. In a group of ten we were shown the wonderful workrooms that help create the visuals that are performed on the National Theatre stages as well as being taken on a tour backstage, on stage and in the auditorium of the Olivier Theatre. The costume making workshop is shown below. Sorry for my poor blurry photography!

National Theatre Costume Workroom

We then split into different parts of the costume department (menswear, womenswear and alterations) and had tuitions with members of the costume department. I was doing womenswear and made a simple sleeveless boned bodice. Although this is something I have done before I loved having the luxury of one on one tuition. It made this a really fun and relaxed workshop.

This workshop was a trial run and something they haven't done before. Their idea was to make an open day more one on one so people wouldn't feel as intimidated to ask questions. I personally think it worked really well and hope they will do it again. However, I would recommend this open day to first year students as a few of the other girls on the workshop also noted that the skills we were taught were a little basic for second year costume students.

Take a look at the National Theatre's website to keep updated on upcoming open days and they are apparently soon going to post more work experience opportunities. Exciting!

Les Liaisons Dangereuses - Design project (Year 2: Term 1)

So I am now back at uni and I have to say I really love it! Next week we will be starting our five week placement where I will be working in Bridal wear for the first two weeks then in Opera at the Royal College of Music for the final three. I am extremely excited and really looking forward to using all the skills I have been learning over the past year. I will be posting a bit more about this in a week or so.

I still haven't managed to post a bit about my design project from last term as I left my portfolio in London when I went home for Christmas. This has been my favourite design project to date. We were asked to design 3 characters for either the play or script 'Les Liasons Dangereuses' and realise one of the designs. This involves script breakdown, character analysis, accurate period research, coming up with a concept for the overall performance, thinking about set, lighting, hair and make up, then experimentation and designing for the characters. From this work we had to summarise all of our ideas to 10 A2 pages to present along with our realised costume on our actor.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses is a story of seduction, revenge and love set in the 18th Century. The main character, the Marquise de Merteuil, makes it her mission to control her previous lover, Vicomte de Valmont, persuading him to seduce other women to get revenge on another previous lover. I decided to set the play in 1760-70s and use the idea that Merteuil is controlling Valmont as a concept, focussing on the quote "It's beyond my control" (Valmont, page 91).

My concept was that Valmont is schizophrenic and Merteuil is a figment of his imagination. This idea would be mainly presented through spotlighting towards the end of the play when Valmont's condition is slowly being revealed. (eg. Merteuil would be spotlit when Valmont talks to her etc.). Additionally the audience would experience Valmont's condition and feel like they are part of the play. The theatre seating would have speakers in the headrests connected to Merteuil's microphone so it will make it seem like she is in their imagination and controlling them as well.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses concept ideas

I designed Merteuil's character (Act 2: Scene 16) in a way that would suggest she was a figment of Valmont's imagination. I would use the same fabrics for both costumes for which they both appear in the same scene. In order to give her an unreal characteristic I decided to cover her face with sheer net (lit with LEDs underneath, controlled by the lighting designer) to give a ghost like effect.

Marquise de Merteuil general research

Marquise de Merteuil - Scene 16

I also designed for Valmont in scene 10 where he reveals that he has gotten one of his lovers pregnant. Because Valmont's role in the story is predominately to seduce other women, I decided to look at feminine shapes such as the ovaries. I then developed a print design inspired by the ovaries and popular fabrics of the time such as brocade. I was also inspired by painters of the 18th Century such as William Hogarth and Francois Boucher in terms of colour palette and their seductive qualities.

Vicomte de Valmont colour palette and print design

Vicomte de Valmont - Scene 10

I then designed for Valmont in scene 16 using the same fabric choices as I had for Merteuil to reflect that she was a part of him and in his imagination. The washed out colour palette reflects that he is loosing his mind and there is no life left in him. I developed the idea of using ovaries on brocade and came up with an embellishment design for the frock coat which I realised as my final make. (see here)

Vicomte de Valmont embellishment experimentation

Vicomte de Valmont - Scene 16

Victomte de Valmont realised costume - Scene 16
Designed and made by Bryony Hamer
Modelled by Harry Allen
See more on my final costume here

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty

Ballet, in my opinion, is one of the worlds greatest art forms and I just find it amazing how much it emotion it can bring to the audience and how it can manage to tell a story with dance, set, costume and no words.

This Christmas BBC2 played the New Adventure’s Sleeping Beauty. Although I went to see this last year with some girlfriends it was also lovely to watch it in my sitting room with family and to me it really showed a dramatic difference between live viewing and TV. On one hand I would say going to watch it live, like anything, is so much better in the sense that atmosphere from the audience is buzzing and there is nothing more dramatic than listening to a live orchestra play Tchaikovsky’s score- it never fails to give me goose bumps. However, watching it on TV was great as it allowed me to see the close up details of costume which, as a student studying costume for performance, is something I really appreciate. The costumes really do look different close up and from a distance which is helping me understand more why there is such a difference between designing for theatre or film & TV.

A few months ago I went with my classmates backstage to see the costumes (designed by Philip Prowse) for Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty and then to see it live the following evening. It was fun to see the costumes in the flesh and then on stage but also incredibly interesting to see how different they looked from a distance. The classical ballet costumes were stunning but completely different compared to Lez Brotherston’s for Matthew Bourne’s choreography.

Birmingham Royal Ballet's Sleeping Beauty.
Note the use of block colour in the costumes to create distinctive shapes that can be seen from a distance and that compliment the choreography.

Birmingham Royal  Ballet's Backstage Costume Department.
Even in costumes for stage, designers include stunning
embellishments and trimmings that are picked up in the light when
on stage.

Birmingham Royal  Ballet's Backstage Costume Department

Matthew Bourne finally finished his trio of Tchaikovsky’s ballets with Sleeping Beauty last year and his interpretation of The Nutcracker 1992 in and Swan Lake in 1995. I went to see was Swan Lake I think in 2007 and I was absolutely blown away by his innovative and genius choreography combined with Tchaikovsky’s score. Instead of the classical female swans in pretty white tutus he uses male swans in tasselled breeches to resemble feathers and a bare chest which not only adds a particularly raw quality to the performance but enhances the dance moves as the lighting reflects on their muscles as they move. This one of his in particular is a must see!

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake.
Tasselled breeches are cleverly used to resemble feathers and the bare chest adds a particularly raw quality to the performance.

His take on Sleeping Beauty involved vampires and fairies with a gothic twist that spreads from the Victorian era through to the 21^st Century in three acts. His contemporary choreography isn't too out there so it is good for a younger audience. I couldn't help but notice elements of Michael Jackson's Thriller in the production, particularly in the third act! It is elements like that which makes Bourne's productions so easy and fun to watch and suitable for any audience.

One of the things I love most about Matthew Bourne is the comedic element he brings to all his productions. It must be so difficult to make people laugh at a ballet without it coming across as tacky so I really applaud him for that. So often when I go to watch ballet I usually don’t follow the story and I find myself distracted by the set and costumes – how can you not?! But I always find that I understand the story line a lot better for any of Bourne’s productions.

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty
Costumes by Lez Brotherston

If you are new to ballet or have never been that interested by it, going to see one of the performances by New Adventure’s would be a great place to start. Swan Lake is on at the moment at Sadler's Wells until January 2014. Buy tickets here quick as they sell out fast! Their production of Lord of the Flies (choreographed by Scott Ambler and adapted and directed by Scott Ambler and Matthew Bourne) starts touring in Spring 2014. Check their website for more details.

I leave you with a clip from the BBC with Matthew Bourne and the history of his work.

Dangerous Liaisons - 18th Century Menswear

So I have had a particularly hectic term at LCF! The work load has increased and I learnt lots of new skills which I had to take in in such a short space of time. I enjoyed learning how to do men's tailoring where I learnt how to make an 18th century shirt, breeches and frock coat. I know my costume is not perfect but I am pretty pleased with it as a first attempt.

I designed for one of the main character's, Valmont, in Christopher Hampton's adaptation of the novel Dangerous Liaisons. My interpretation of the play involved making Valmont a schizophrenic who is being controlled by Merteuil to seduce women. In scene 10 Valmont reveals that he has gotten one of his lovers pregnant so I decided to use feminine shapes such as the ovaries to inspire my fabric design. I have appliquéd and embroidered them subtly into the brocade coat. Throughout Act 2 Valmont's costume looses colour as he is beginning to realise that he is loosing his mind. I have designed and realised the costume for scene 16.
I will post more about the design side of this project soon!

A massive thank you to lovely Harry for taking the time to come out to see me for fittings and making such a fab model. I really hope 18th Century comes back in fashion soon as he looks pretty fantastic!

The Royal Ballet School - Work Experience

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get to have a weeks work experience at the Royal Ballet Lower School which I really loved. The school itself is just stunning and is situated in Richmond Park amongst deer and greenery. My first day was really exciting as the gates were opened and a beautiful 18th Century Building (White Lodge - shown below) was in front of me.

The Royal Ballet Lower School, White Lodge

The boarding school is for students aged between 11-16 years where they will take their GCSE exams in their final years. Their afternoons/evenings are spent learning dance - mainly classical ballet but additionally contemporary, Scottish and Irish dance. If they are successful in the audition process they will continue on to the Upper School in Covent Garden.

The Wardrobe Department

The Wardrobe Department

During the few days I was there I was working with Caroline Hume, the Wardrobe Mistress, where we were adding final touches, organising costumes, attending rehearsals and fittings and making final alterations in preparation for the Summer Fair at the end of the week. It was a lot of basic skills but it was sew useful to put what I had learnt in my first year at uni into good practice.

Costumes that aren't machine washable have sweat pads sewn
under the arms which are removed after the performance
and machine washed separately 

Pattern cutting tiny bodices! Generally, classical ballet
dancers measurements are all quite a similar so their bodices
rarely need altering from one year to the next so can be reused.

As well as this I was lucky enough to meet and work with many talented staff including rehearsal pianists and dance teachers who have danced professionally and had incredible experiences.

Tutus are stacked on top of each other on a tutu pole

I felt so privileged to be around such talented and hard working students. Everyone at the school was such an inspiration but I particularly liked how it really felt like a family. It was also so exciting to watch them rehearse and perform to such a high standard and to know that one day they may be performing on the most famous stages in the world!

The students on the Royal Opera House Stage

I am now following one of the student's blogs who has graduated this year and starting in the Upper School in September. Prisca Bertoni (www.all4ballet.com) describes what it is like to be a student at White Lodge - a pleasure to read and I am so excited to see where she ends up in the future - same as I feel about all the students. It is such a tough industry but I really hope they all get the future they deserve, hope and dream for.

Prisca Bertoni

See Prisca's blog post about leaving White Lodge and her final performances here. She posts photographs of wearing the bodice/tutu that I worked on.

Picture 10 on The Classic FM website also shows the tutus being worn on the Royal Opera House stage at Linbury Theatre! I got far too excited about this!

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

I recently went to see the live screening of the Royal Ballet’s production of Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at the Royal Opera House and I absolutely loved it! My boyfriend actually turned his nose up at the idea of going to the cinema to watch ballet but I think it’s a really great idea that’s affordable. Although you don’t get the same experience as dressing up and going to the magnificent Royal Opera House, you still get the exciting atmosphere off of the audience which you wouldn’t get from watching it on the television at home. I would very much recommend it!

The wonderland was brilliantly imagined by Christopher Wheeldon (choreographer) Joby Talbot (composer) and Bob Crowley (set and costume designer). There is something very fashionable at the moment about Alice in Wonderland, particularly tea parties, whether it be cupcake merchandise, teapot jewellery, baking television shows such as The Great British Bake Off, fashionable pottery such as Emma Bridgewater or just hosting your own Mad Hatter tea party. I thought the ballet was very “on trend” if you like so I’m just going to share with you just a few of my favourite moments because there are just too many to write about!

Set Design by Bob Crowley

Alice in wonderland visual world was created by Bob Crowley who ingeniously designed the inventive costumes and sets. Whilst still keeping the traditional Alice in Wonderland basic themes Crowley upgrades the basic designs in a 21^st century manner as well as using set to solve seemingly impossible design problems for a live ballet such as the shrinking and growing of Alice in act 1.



The belly dancing sensual Caterpillar



Performed by Eric Underwood

365 crystals encrusted onto the Caterpillar's ballet shoes

In the ballet the different character’s personalities are reflected through their dance style, which are then further complimented with costume and set. For example the Caterpillar, played by Eric Underwood, is cleverly portrayed through sensual belly dance and (to use the hip hop term) ‘the worm’ where he almost seduces and hypnotises Alice. He is one of the eight dancers who has custom-made shoes encrusted with 365 crystals. Read about it here.

The energetic and quirky Mad Tapper
played by Steven McRae

The Red Queen
played by Zenaida Yanowsky

The Red Queen, played by Zenaida Yanowsky, wore a hard, dominant costume on wheels where she rolled around the stage. This was complimented with strong, aggressive choreography and un-elegant movements in her arms which was a complete contrast to Alice’s delicate traditional and contemporary ballet dance.

The ingenious flamingo costumes were easily my favourite from the entire production

The Royal Ballet’s production of Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is truly magical, visually and technically excellent, and suitable for all ages. If you have never been a fan of ballet I would really recommend this one as it is modern, entertaining and exciting to watch – one that is hard to beat!

To find out more about the Royal Opera House's live screenings at your nearest cinema click here.