Costume

• Costume


  • establishes a character
  • conveys the context of the play
  • supports the style of the production
• Establishing a character


  • Provides the audience with basic information about them
  • e.g. age, gender, occupation, social background
  • Reveals information about them
  • e.g if they are vain or shy
  • Reveals information about a charater's circumstances
  • e.g. the character's journey can be shown through what they wear at the beginning and the end
• Conveys context


  • Can show time period
  • fashions and styles can be shown through the clothes a character wears
  • Can show the geographical setting of the play
• Supporting the style


  • Supports the style of the play, like other design elements
  • e.g. naturalistic plays would have naturalistic costumes
• What to consider with costume

  • colour
  • condition
  • cut
  • fabric
  • flit
• Colour


  • Can convey symbolic ideas
  • Can reveal something about the character wearing the costume
  • Can show similarities and differences between characters
• Condition


  • Can convey information about a character's circumstances
• Cut 


  • The shape of the fabric pieces used to construct the costume
  • Can show historical setting
  • Can change the performer's physical appearance
• Fabric

  • Conveys the time period
  • Fabrics should be chosen that suit the character, and the setting and style of the production
• Fit


  • How well the clothing fits the performer
  • Can show a character's personality
  • Can convey the context of the play
• Aspects to consider


  • Adornments
  • Shape
  • Texture
• Adornments


  • The acessories that are added to a costume
  • e.g. jewellery and bags
  • Can be accentuated to make it easier for the audience to see them
• Shape


  • Costume can be used to give a performer a different physical shape or silouhette
  • Can show context - different silouhettes are associated with different time periods
• Texture


  Can give the audience information about context or a character