This is a list of items I think we will need to look out for at the National:
- Wimples: Prioress and Jemma (wife in Reeve's Tale).
- Hats: Wife of Bath, Host, Knight, Carpenter, Nun's Priest, Yeoman, Parson and or Monk (could the Knight borrow the Monk's hat), Simon and Merchant-this is being made but I am going to look out for something just in case we find something perfect.
- Gloves: Squire and Knight.
- Cross x5.
- Gold head bands: Arcita, Constance.
- Belt: Constance.
- Laural Reefs x5, could be made if we can't find 5 the same?
- Crown- King Aella.
- Scholars caps/coifs x4.
- Spectacles x3.
I'm feeling quite confident about our visit tomorrow and I feel I have a clear idea of what we still need to look for and specific things we need to remember. In terms of the fabric and haberdashery shopping I think we need leather cord (for things like the lacing e.g. Alison's costume), buttons and we need to look for something suitable for the Sultan's robes as these fabrics are proving difficult to find. Ideally I would like some linen voile but otherwise we need something with texture, richness and not to modern a colour.
So that my model box represents the studio theatre well I have added a mezzanine floor and some new elements that have developed over the past couple of weeks.
Hessian curtains in the corners where the tavern signs are to disguise the black wall, more medieval. Use curtains from In Extremis and fold over to hide the red.
Below: Balcony wall with windows and hessian curtains (use for the Miller's tale flashing scene and maybe also as the "chicken coop" in the Nun's Priest's Tale, if the director chooses to use them).
I have also developed my tavern signs so that we have a clearer plan for realising them. I have scaled them up and as I have decided to use plywood for the actual signs I have used obeche in my smaller versions. Now that some props, set pieces and other elements in the design have been decided I thought I could incorporate these elements into my designs. I wanted each tavern sign to have its own individual feel and symbolism. I would like them to be painted with a wash in places so that you can see the grain of the wood. Below are my developed designs:
Knight's Tale: Resembles a coat of arms. Includes the banners and staffs that will be used in the fighting scene and I took inspiration from Palamon's line in the script "pierced through the eye and through the heart", in the scene where he falls in love with Emilee, page 18.
Miller's Tale: This is more humorous and unexpected after following the Knight's Tale's sign. Each sign has an element of the story teller's character.
Reeve's Tale: Simple and symbolic. Wheat and flour was extremely valuable in the medieval period and the Reeve is a mean character who cares mostly about money and value. This sign is not at all like the Miller's and therefore gives the audience an idea of their differences in disposition (Miller and Reeve).
Cook's Tale: The Cook is cut short from telling his tale as it is so rude. Therefore I used what other characters say to gain inspiration for this sign, "Out of the bow'lls of Christ - they've spilled their own" page 58. However I think now, although this pot and implements are accurate in authenticity to the period, it doesn't quite illustrate what I want therefore I am going to develop this one further, perhaps gaining inspiration from poison symbols.
Man of Law's Tale. Intelligent and foreign feel.
Shipman's Tale: Greed and want of money.
Prioress's Tale: Religious themes. This might be good if it were lit from the back as well, so that the rays seem to extend out of the sign.
Nun's Priest's Tale: Mirror, vanity and pride. Could this be broken?... Vanity leads to misfortune?
This is a picture of the shields that we are going to pick up in London from the Set Exchange. They need to be repainted but I really like the shape and they will be great for dressing the mezzanine as they will give that medieval feel. The Knight will also use one of these for the fighting scenes.
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