End of Week Three - Race to the Finish

It seems like everything has gone so quickly. And now it's all over. I've learnt so much and had so much fun working with the people at the National. I've been made to feel really welcome and have really been put to work! During this last week the main bulk of Doctor's Dilemma costumes were finished, and the tech was over the weekend, so we've been sent up things to alter and finish in dribs and drabs during the rehearsals. This was a really interesting week as I got to work on some other productions and got given much more of a range of jobs to do, including a lot of alterations, labelling and finishing. Obviously I was given odd jobs that no one else really likes doing that much, but I didn't really mind, that's what I was there for! Here's a few things I've been working on during the last week at the Theatre:

Monday - trouser hem alterations, velvet ribbon on maid's skirt, brown trim on 'Emmy's belt with new hooks and bars; all for Doctor's Dilemma.

Details of the maid's belt

Tuesday - stitching detail on green velvet belt, train loop on green skirt, blue jacket extra trim and buttons sewn back on. Watched the dress rehearsal in the afternoon and couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of pride. Costumes that I had helped to make were on stage at the National Theatre. It was so surreal.

Train loop on green skirt

Hand stitching on green velvet belt

Wednesday - worked on a few Curious Incident costumes: labelling and poppers on policeman shirts for quick change.

Thursday - More Curious Incident labels and made new chiffon cuffs for Doctor's Dilemma cream and fawn-coloured understudy jacket

Constructing new chiffon cuffs

Cuffs finished inside jacket sleeves

New self-covered buttons attached to jacket front

Friday - last day! - touched up jacket inside (sewed up holes), replaced buttons which I covered myself, finished blue belt for understudy, London Road alterations and labels!

Blue belt covered with lace for understudy

Phew, what a busy week. And it flew by so so quickly. And now it's all over and I have to go back to normal life! To top it all off I got free staff tickets to see the production I'd been working on the most (Doctor's Dilemma) on Friday night. I took a friend with me and she too was so proud to see stuff I'd made on the National stage. The audience made so much difference and the production was actually quite funny! The set looked beautiful and I hope the designer was really pleased. I'm sure the sense of pride eventually wears off, but I couldn't help but feel a bit teary.

Photos of original set design on walls in studio

Actual set! On stage and ready to rumble! So exciting!