Back to that world of Princesses.

Snow White, one of the ten
Disney Princesses

Now that Cabaret is over I need to start working towards a final project for my creative practice module this year, and I feel like there's no harm in having it Disney themed, I want to be able to draw on my experiences over the past summer and put it all together in a piece of work. Whether it's designing a dress/costume for one of the princesses, or a even just a fairytale character. Taking elaborate wedding dresses and striping them down to then work on to, whether embroidering or printing onto the fabric. 

I do know that I need to start drawing again, go to the Fashion Museum in Bath or even see if it's possible to go to the costume services company in Bristol just to take a look at the costumes. As there is such a difference between fashion and costume as when an item of clothing is a costume for theatre or film it needs to be sturdy, go through countless takes that could be spread over weeks and still look like it did on week one. Now it's not like I'm going to be making anything for an actual show but the costumes worn by the princesses in Disney were just the same, being worn all day but still as magical and full of sparkle by the end of the day as they did at the start. I'd like to start researching into more detailed princess designs and which ones due to their story or fairy tale could have the most sparkle.

Cabaret TECH

This past week I've spent my time helping out at King Edwards school for their production of Cabaret. It was great to see how much had happened in the past three months, the sets and costumes were amazing along with the actors themselves watching rehearsals it was easy to forget that this was only a school production, because it was so much better than some stage shows I've seen at theatres.

Willkommen

All of the principals there were two cast I'm presuming for the obvious (if one was ill) but I also think as they were the main speaking parts it meant that more students could take part as a main role. Luckily from a costume side of things the girls were the same size so they could share costumes rather than upping the cost by having double main costumes and confusing things when it came to their quick changes. 

Don't tell Mama

My role with the production was wardrobe mistress, doing the general fix ups, taking in, being side stage in case there were any breaks during show and helping the cast with quick changes but it was mostly only Sally Bowles and the MC that had any change in costume.

Cabaret

It was interesting to see the Costumes designers take on the characters and I like the simplicity or the costumes and the simple theme of black. As it did the job especially for Sally's role. When she's performing in the Kit Kat club it's sparkles and accessories but when she takes a side step and at the apartment with cliff she's always in the pant suit adding a bit of colour to her with the blue.

Finale

Cabaret productions

This weekend I'll be helping out with TECH rehearsals at King Edwards school for their production of Cabaret. In the run up to the show I've been refreshing my memory of the story line and taking note of the different interpretations of the story especially when it comes to the costumes.

The most well known production of Cabaret is of course the film version with Liza Minnelli. This was the first version of Cabaret I'd seen so whenever I watch any other production Minnelli is always my Sally Bowles. She just depicts her in such her own way. She makes Sally Bowles become such a real, confident, out for herself person. It'll be interesting to see a teenager try and portray this character.

Due to the nature of this storyline I'm still intrigued as to how it's been adapted for a school production, how much is necessary to change for parents to allow their children to perform in this show.

Cabaret

Last year I had a lot of work experience at the Theatre Royal in Bath helping out in the wardrobe and props department, and now being back in Bath I'd like to pick this up again.

I saw an advertisement about the role of wardrobe assistant for a production of Cabaret at King Edwards school in Bath and even though I didn't get the job (as a lot of the work would be going back and forth from Bristol costume services and without a car that would be a difficulty!) I'm still going to volunteer my time when it comes to TECH and then show week, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the costume designer interprets the show in her own way.

I'm no walking canvas

Carolw Waller is one of my tutors and uni and recently she held an exhibition and fashion show of her painted clothes along with the work of Shirin Guild. For this show and exhibition she called on students to help out. I've never really been a fashion person, there's a huge difference between costume and fashion which most people don't see. However this was an oppotunity to help out with something different. I looked at it as a different type of show, since it wasn't a catwalk fashion show, more of a performance art piece.

The models had different characters they had to portray they were either dreamers of people on the red carpets so there was a great difference of look between them. Since I was a dresser helping with the quick changes I never actually got to see the show, however there were many photos being taken and video being shot of the show, so I hope to see these soon.

It was interesting to see how a fashion show gets put on and to me it seemed quite similar to a theatre show, the rush and panic backstage, getting everyone's hair and make up done in time for the rehearsals, the quick changes, it just made me feel like I was back at the theatre. Which just made me think I can't wait till I'm back where I feel I belong, side stage of a theatre, in the workrooms making the costumes, then seeing them on stage, I'm hoping to get more work experience back at the Theatre Royal, Bath this year, so I've just got to wait to hear back!

Highs and lows of Musicals

I personally think that the short musical shows at Disney World work because everyone's seen the films, they feel like singing along, they enjoy themselves feeling like they're at the theatre, but then they get to continue playing in the parks, able to fit in the rides and other shows that they'd like to fill their day with.

However Finding Nemo the musical just didn't work in my opinion, mostly because there aren't any songs in Finding Nemo for the audience to relate to, I think that the concept is quite a good idea because it is different, but when you see more of the actors than the characters they're holding you focus on them rather the fish they are.

So when you see scenes like this the actors are well behind their characters so it works well, but it's still not on my list must see Disney, as I would not need to spend 4minutes of my day watching this again!

Be our Guest

I'm now a fan of Beauty and the Beast it has to be said, Belle belting out the songs is more than enough to get anyone hooked, and want to 1/2hour long show to last longer. It is slightly annoying that these shows at the different parks are always shortened but of course can see why, they can't have 90 minute shows 6 times a day while giving the actors time to breathe and cool down from the heat, but also the main point being that guests coming to the park want to experience as much as possible in a day not to come and watch a musical.

Stage shows like with a lot of theatre the costumes aren't that detailed and some can be seen as quite basic, like Belle here is in her stranded Belle costume, so it's made to the simple design but using bright colours and the colour blue (unlike the rest of the dancers who are all wearing pastel colours) to still keep her standing out as she is the main character.


To make quite a contrast when we move onto one of the more theatrical songs of 'Be our guest' all the crockery and pieces of furniture are dancers as they have come to life, and here as an ice-cream sundae. I love seeing costumes like this, When she first appears on stage, the skirt is lifted up in and grey/blue colour to look like the vase of the ice-cream, then it drops and out come all the colours!

This is the Disney difference with the thought behind the quick changes some of which seem obvious but then again it is only a half hour show and it's probably just me not being able to sit back and enjoy a show, but looking for the scene changes and trickery.
Then the big one, Belles yellow dress which wasn't as spectacular as I was expecting but again you only see her where it for about 60seconds.

What I would really like to go and see now is a full length theatre show of Beauty and the Beast, and see how many more scenes, costumes there are, and compare them to a Disney show.