School of Performance Productions 2012: Much Ado

First making project this term was this bad boy - the character of Leonato for a new interpretation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. It was set in the early 1900s British Raj in a fictional region of India.

The design for my costume by AUCB CwPD student Eleanor Bull - comprising of tangerine velvet jacket, purple silk sash, cream cotton dhoti and hat of the same fabric

Finished costume in situe - the AUCB SOP Studio Theatre - during the performance. The only change really visible from the design is the alternate side of the sash; a decision which was made to hide a couple of flaws in the velvet of the jacket (it looked like it had been ironed/squashed?) The designer also chose a trim to go about the raw edges of the dhoti to make them look smarter and highlight the character's importance in the status of the household. I think he looks mighty fine and very dashing!

I also constructed a second and third pair of dhoti for other characters in the show. The second pair were similar to those for Leonato but plain, but the third pair (shown above) were a different drape and much more decorated. I think they looked really beautiful, although they bared absolutely no resemblance to the original design. 

For the first show of the year, and the first acting production I've ever been involved in at AUCB from start to finish, I was really impressed with the outcome. Everything was beautiful, the costumes and the set, and the acting of course was truly impressive. The show was quite long but I was told by one of my colleagues who brought her 7 year old daughter that even she was hooked for the entire thing. This was the first of four shows, at the end of October 2012, and from then on there would be a snowball of show after show after show until the Christmas holidays!