Thursday 22 November 2012

..And So This is Shakespeare


 I recently wrote a post about my gradual love affair with Shakespearean works and live theatre here in Perth... And as obsession progresses, I shall post some more!
We are currently in preparations for ShakespeareWA's Shakespeare in the Park 2013 season with Shakespeare's work 'Much Ado About Nothing', so expect more Shakespeare related posts. (Too many 'Shakespeares' in one sentence? Mmm, thy thinketh not)

Last year's season saw a triple bill with ShakespeareWA's Director, Paige Newmark producing works 'The Tempest', 'A Comedy Of Errors' and 'The Complete Works of Shakespeare- Abridged'.
Before I start on any 'Much Ado' picture progress fun, I thought I might include my creations from last year as I had with my first year with 'Romeo and Juliet'. 
I was lucky enough to get my hand in the design jar first and snatched up two makes of Ingrid Proos's designing. From 'The Tempest' I chose Stephana, (Originally a male in Shakespeare's text, Stephano) the hapless servant and perpetual drunk, and the facsimile-Madonna (circa 80's) and all around sex-bomb Courtesan from 'A Comedy of Errors'. 

Apologies, apparently I was all boobs and ass...Enjoy *wink

xK

'Te Tempest; With Stephana's partner in Crime- Trinculo, made by Kim Harris
Piping in skirt, with a large crinoline and bum pad to give shape
In action in 'The Tempest'
Finding Caliban, and so their adventures begin!

Another money shot. With the mischeivious spirit, Aerial in the background made by Alexandra Wettstein

Stephana's costume; sewing tucks in the fabric for texture

Eyelets boning and cord finish of the look at the back


The front er.. feature!





Madonna Inspired brazier for the Courtesan in the 80's inspired 'A Comedy of Errors'


the beginnings of the fabulous suit

The wonderful Cam Clark, in all of his Courtesan glory

Whats a girl to do, really?

Shakespeare In The Park Presented by ShakespeareWA
Works by William Shakespeare, directed by Paige Newmark
Costume Designed by Ingrid Proos, find more of her amazing work at http://ingridproos.com/
Photos by Richard Jefferson and Reece J. Scott

Saturday 10 November 2012

MerrimentAttire

I HAVE A SHOP! I have a shopIhaveashopIhaveashop! ...I have a shop..!
 
I am selling my wears online on a lil site you may know as Etsy, with the shop name MerrimentAttire. I am super excited! I have only the one item for now as I want to keep sane working theatre and live event gigs as well as producing custom orders for ya'll.  
 
Here's how it cascaded.. Earlier this year my partners sister had a Twentyonesie party. I saw this as an excuse to get creative and, after a casual idea my Philip had about attaching a beanbag to his back for passing-out comfort, the Turtle shell beanbag was born!
And, as I am one for naff-ness in partnering costumes, we went as the tortoise and the hare. It went off with a bang, everyone was impressed with his easy comfort seat/costume.
No more 'You should really patent that' conversations because.. I have a shop! Here is where you can get your very own for your next dress-up party, festival, cosplay convention or even lounging/bean bagging around the comfort of your own house!
  :)
 
 
xK
 
 
 
 
(excuse the pictures, they were apparently taken with a potato..)


That's one stylish turtle!


Shell beanbag vest, with hood

Beanbag action!
 

Oh, and here's the hare onesie with raglan sleeves, butt-flap
and detachable pant legs 

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Just waiting for my hair to dress

 I was feeling a little reminescent today and found this little treasure from my second year at Waapa. We chose an era, collated our reference pictures and dug our fingers into our synthetics wigs. Many of the other departments, I think, were looking over at us enviously as we paraded the finishing products in our suiting attire. Yeah, we sexy.
 
 
fellow ladies of class

xK

Monday 22 October 2012

We Tour

This year was the year of firsts for me, a very exciting/challenging/emotional/intense/(insert many more descriptive words here) year for this lil lady *points to self. One first, and an amazing first at that, was going on tour from Perth to Brisbane with Black Swan State Theatre Company's 'Boundary Street'.
 
Touring, in one word that comes to mind when thinking about my journey, is exhausting! It may have been a different story had we been there for more than a week, but our tour was a jam packed 7 days. 7 days of flying in, hysterical pantomime-like incidences with my luggage, bumping in, technical rehearsals, hair dressing, opening night drinks, second show drinks, sneaky in between matinee and night performance drinks, meeting amazing Brisbane Festival crew, getting little rest, waking up early to make the most of my time outside of the blackness of the theatre to sight see, bad (aka fast and easy) food habits, show washing/drying/ironing/repairs, and not to mention performances themselves- lord, you should have seen our costume plot and quick change list!  
What. A. Tour... Just amazing.
 
As the show was a story about Brisbane during the war of the 40's, the production was well received, with audience giving standing ovations and stomping their feet for encores! The positive feed back made the journey all the more enjoyable.
 
Touring seems to give a whole different dynamic to your crew/cast relationships. We relied on each other more as most of us were so far away from what we knew- family, friends, home, environment- and because of the intensity of our tour, we just spent a lot of the day in each others company. Brisbane/Boundary Street will always spark great memories for me. 
 
xK
 
 
 
My dream car at the Spiegeltent under the lanterns
On a Beautiful night, South Bank

 
The Beauties of Boundary Street

The Fellers
 

The cast and crew on the set
 
 
On the bridge on the way to Speigeltent with fellow Perthians
 
On set, in all of my dressing spendor!
 
 Cutting away for a 1940's wartime haircut for the Brisbane based Supernumeries
 
My ferry ride transportation experience
 
The beautiful view from the venue, Brisbane Powerhouse Theatre
 
Always watching.. An eye-catching(har-har) piece by the river  
 
The bridge where 'Boundary Street' is set
 
Some street art on my walk abouts

'Boundary Street' By Reg Cribb, music by James Morisson, Directed by Kate Cherry
 Presented by Black Swan State Theatre Company in collaboration with Brisbane Festival
 

Saturday 13 October 2012

Barking Gecko's 'This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, and This Girl Does Nothing'

In the world of a freelance theatre technician you may have moments of silence before the storm, but more often than not you're being rained upon and saying yes to all jobs offered to avoid this stale silence. Hence why I use the word storm- saying yes is dangerous if you don't have a firm grasp of your daily planner!
Barking Gecko's 'This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, and This Girl Does Nothing' was one of my storm moments. I was working a few jobs at the same time before I was offered to be the costume support for 'This Girl' and almost said a big fat No to this piece of treasure. Thankfully, I consulted my diary and shifted around some 'unneccassary' sleep to fit it all in. What a sweet piece of children's theatre it turned out to be, one that adults could certainly enjoy too.. I consider myself adult like anyways..
 
 
xK



tulle undergarments to give skirts oomph!



Dad and his three daughters
Garments made from simple calico, muslin and tulle and finished off with shell buttons



 

'This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing' by Finegan Kruckemeyer, Directed by Noel Jordan, Costume and set design by Alicia Clements. Presented by Barking Gecko Theatre Photo's by John Green Photography


Thursday 4 October 2012

A Little Piece of Shakespeare

 
 
For the last two summers, I have worked on ShakespeareWA's Shakespeare in the Park and have developed a soft spot in my heart for the yearly productions and for the man himself.
My first year with them was 2010's season, producing costumes for Shakespeare's famous 'Romeo and Juliet'. The 2011 season saw us doing a triple bill of 'The Tempest', 'A Comedy of Errors' and the always hilarious comedic compilation of Shakespeare texts 'The Complete Works of William Shakespeare- Abridged'.
 I am getting very excited for the coming season, where we will be costuming for 'Much ado About Nothing'. The biggest thing, apart from getting creative in the sewing room, that always pulls me back to this gig every year is the vibe. There's a great energy from being set under the stars of Kings Park, sitting amongst the cast listening to the audiences reaction just metres away as they sit on their rugs, sipping wine and downing canapes on a perfect Perth summer night.  
 
   xK
 
 

One of my most favourite builds of my career so far was for 'Romeo and Juliet'
Below: Lady Capulet played by lovely Anna Brockway in ShakespeareWA's 2010 season of Shakespeare in the park
                        
 
 The original 'white-collar': the Tudor mother..
The design
 
 
 Consoling her love-struck child, Juliet.
 
 
Backstage of Kings Park
 
 
Shakespeare In The Park Presented by ShakespeareWA
Works by William Shakespeare, directed by Paige Newmark
Costume Designed by Ingrid Proos, find more of her amazing work at http://ingridproos.com/
Photos by Richard Jefferson

Wednesday 3 October 2012

The First

I thought I might go in with a bang, you know something wild and a little bit sexy...
..So here's a padded up mannequin.
Enjoy...(?)

xK