Dress, Technical Rehearsals and the Performances.

 Today we have the final two performances and I'm really pleased with the costumes and set. The technical and dress rehearsals gave me a chance to see if the costumes worked within the space and if the actors and actresses could perform all the movements required. I watched the performances from different areas of the audience seating so I could get different views of how the costumes and set worked. I am really pleased with the colour palette and silhouettes of the costumes and the set is used to the maximum to illustrate the different tales. I have learnt an huge amount from this project and I am really pleased with the result.
Breaking Down I did after feedback from the dress parade. Below: Carpenter's apron, Reeve's hat and cape and Cook's underwear.

 I decided to add some linen to the sole of Alison's shoes as after the technical rehearsals I could see that the lining of the shoes was reflecting the light as it was shiny pvc. I then painted the elastic so it didn't look glaringly white.

 Warming up for the performance...

 Here I added some hessian to the bottom of one of the buckets to cover the plastic bottom.

Final Production Meeting, Set and Dress Parade.

We had a very short production meeting as everything is prepared and ready for the dress parade and in terms of the set, the technical rehearsals. The dress parade went really well and it was very good to have a chance to see all the actors and actresses in costume together. This helped me to see if any costumes didn't fit with the whole ensemble, that the colour palette was good and if any costumes needed adjustments or additions. My notes from the parade were:

• Prioress: Needs a slip and a thin leather belt with a crucifix hanging from it rather than beads all the way round. This may break with all the movements they have to do.
• Wife of Bath: Turn around belt so the lacing is at the front. Give the costume a more worn look. The bloomers appear french, cover lace. Bigger purse.
• Alison/Pilgrim: Channel in her apron pocket added for her recorder, slip and elastic in her shoes.
• Pilgrim/Miller's Wife: White tights, black petticoat, tippets dipped down in colour.
• Pilgrim/Emilee: Add belt decorated with same braid used on cuffs and collars. Garland, make for Emilee and hang on the set for her to take.
• Chaucer: Hem needs adjusting and add a black scarf, looked a bit bare without.
• Host: Break down more and add belt loops.
• Knight: Make the fabric around his hat longer and red gloves needed.
• Squire: No gloves, not suitable for the amount of sword fighting he is doing.
• Yeoman: Cut line of t shirt so it doesn't show.
• Monk: Good.
• Reeve: Break down blue cape and hat.
• Miller: Loosen hood so beard can stick out more.
• Cook: Brown hat added and add a scarf? Apron more greasy.
• Man of Law: Trousers too long. Good.
• Nun's Priest: Good, pouch for recorder to be added.
• ASMs: Good.
• Weeping Queens: Good.
• Knight's Tale: Coverings need washing and pressing.
• Miller's Tale: Carpenter needs an apron. I decided to change this from my design and make it a full body one similar in shape to the one they had been using in rehearsals so it is really easy for the actors to use the new apron and doesn't affect how they have been rehearsing the change.
• Reeve's Tale: Good.
• Man of Law's Tale: King Aella- cut crown. Young Knight: Cut cape. Counsellors use fabric as headdresses.
• Shipman's Tale: Good.
• Prioress's and Nun's Priest's Tale: Complete puppets and headdresses.

I am really pleased with how the dress parade went and it's helped me to think more in depth about my design choices.

 Trying out the Sultan's headdress, I like it like this but with less fabric hanging down.

 Adjusting the puppets and giving more fabric around the head so there is more room for the hand. After this we added the bodies.

 Making a saw for the Jewish Cut Throat. I made it bold so that you could see it from a distance. I tested this in the dress rehearsal and it was visible.

Breaking down the Prioress' lapdog using Fuller's earth, paint and by cutting in to it and sewing parts differently, particularly the ears and the brow.
Before

 After

Set Painting, Creation of Set Elements and Capes.

Yesterday we completed all the painting and ensured that the furniture is decorated and ready for next week. There are a few finishing touches to be added but these are all things that will have to be done in the week. I'm feeling confident that everything will be ready in time and I am very pleased with the look of the whole show so far. The above picture shows where we covered all the screws to keep the appearance of a medieval bench, we added another layer over this so that the paint blended in with the staining.

Decorating the chests. Combining my scenic artist's research and mine I decided to add these strips of 'iron' made from mountboard.

 This was the table after it had be used to create the staining etc. We decided to paint this all brown so the stains didn't show through the table covering.

The shields are being put up here on the mezzanine floor so that they don't block the audience view. They will need painting where the screws have come through so they don't reflect when the lights shine on them.
Below: Chests with completed additions. I'm really pleased with how they look and I think the fake iron finishes them well. They just need some black paint where the keyhole is.

 Staining the staffs, so they are in keeping with the rest of the set and props.

Painting the steel legs of the table.

I decided to use my illustrator's design created for the programme for the sign of The Tabard, which is the Host's Inn and where the tales begin. We decided to simplify it a bit so that it was really bold and clear for the audience to see.

Below: Creating the hessian curtains for the windows in the balcony wall. I decided to back them on some lightwieght calico we had left over from creating the rehearsal coverings so they were not see-through at all. This also helped wth the stitching of them.

I added some extra fabric so they would ruffle slightly when put on the poles. We will require some hooks to pull back the curtains when the windows are open.

 Back of curtains.

 Leaves and vines, for Emilee in the Knight's Tale. Here I'm covering the edges with clear nail polish so they don't fray.

 How the leaves will look when sewn on.

 

String dyed Olive Green (Procian dye) for the vines. I decided to use sisal string as it drapes well and we can tie it and wrap it around the scaffolding to create the best affect.

 Capes: These are a couple of pictures showing how we created the capes. I have chosen some broaches etc to be added to these to accentuate the characters in the tales and to finish the capes well.

Scenic Painting, Shields, Banners and Dying.

For the past couple of days I have been helping with the set painting. I really wanted to get involved with the realisation of the set, as I think it helps to improve my understanding not only of the process of set design but how elements can develop. I can learn from this and improve my design process. I have been painting the shields, which have the same purpose as the tavern signs but are more decorative. I think that because some of the images I designed were quite particular I drew those out and consequently painted some. I enjoyed working with my scenic artist to decide how these could be done and I think working on them together gave me more of an understanding of using signage in a set design. It is important that the images are bold yet with detail so they look good and can be read easily.
Below: The following four images show the shields I decided to draw as a guide.

Below: These images show the final painted shields. Knight's tale, painted by Emily.

Miller's Tale, Emily's painting with fart added by me.

Reeve's Tale, I painted this shield. After leaving it and looking at it again I decided to add some clouds to break up the blue, so it wasn't a harsh block of colour.

Man of Law's Tale, painted by Emily.

Shipman's Tale, I painted this one.

Prioress's Tale, I'm particularly pleased with the shadows, rays and blue gradient in this one, Emily painted this.

Nun's Priest's Tale, I painted this shield and enjoyed trying to create a feathery affect, I think it has been successful and will read from a distance.

Yesterday I spent a late evening helping with the painting. I learnt a lot about scenic painting affects. Below are some pictures of the staining that I helped with.

 Below: Using rockers to make MDF look like it has a wood grain.

 Balcony wall with newly cut windows, I am making hessian curtains for these.

Stained benches, these need a layer of darker paint in a dry brush but they are looking much better already.

Floor in progress. I am really pleased with the design of the flooring as it works with the in the round set.

 Staining using one bucket of water to wet the wood and one bucket of paint to apply the stain.

 Chest staining.

We had another fitting with Alex who is playing the Man of Law to test out the coif, cape and blue top to go underneath the gown.
I really like the snood (will be in cream for this character) and cape combination with this gown as it really gives a regal high class feel to it. The sleeves are a really good shape and I think the outfit works well as a whole.

 Testing the movement in his costume, therefore making sure it is all suitable.

Slit at the back of the cape allows movement in the arms and creates and interesting shape.

Alex was pleased with the developments of his costume and I think as a designer it's really important that the actor feels the costume is an extension of their character and makes them feel like their character in terms of the weight of the fabric, cut, style, shape and colour. I think these elements are really important and it is very rewarding when you can look at a costume and feel as though it is an embodiment of that character.
I dyed a lot of elements of costume and set today and I am very pleased with the banners I have created for the Knight's tale as I think they will work really well in that tale along with the bunting.

 Below: Red blood cloth for battle scene in Knight's tale.

I also had a production meeting for On The Razzle today and it appears in many respects to be a play and set very different to The Canterbury Tales. Farces are always quite difficult yet fun and interesting and I glad I get the chance to work on two very different plays.