An eating space that always ended up being a workspace. It became a stressful room and meant that as my living space is open plan, I could never fully get away from work. It became less a place to eat, and more a space to sew. Something had to give.
In a small space you always need to think creatively. By hanging chairs on the wall this kept the floor area much clearer. However the length of the table blocked the feng shui flow out to the back yarden. It was time for a change...
In January I moved my big dining room table upstairs into the 'spare room' and it became my cutting table for sewing and making patterns. I asked the builders across the way to give me a hand up the stairs with a oak table.
This left me with a gap of where to eat in the dining room. Large scale dinner parties were out of the question unless they became 'TV dinner parties', but I don't have a TV.
I did manage to think around the lack of a 'big table' by throwing a party with 3 smaller tables, it ended up very Parisian, with white table cloths, roses and tea lights.
Margaret, Colin, Shan and Patrick enjoying an evening in Paris / Belfast in September.
Inspiration struck last week when I was clearing out cupboards and discovered the 2 end extensions to the already 'big table'. These have only been used about twice in the last 9 years, and I needed the space they were taking up inside the cupboard so I set to work taking them apart and remaking them.
A girls best friend, my trusty drill/screwdriver combo. Taking off all the wooden batons.
All off and thankfully clearly marked, if I am ever reversing the process.
Carrying down the cast iron base of the Singer machine that belonged to my Great Granny McFadden. Very heavy!!
Great Granny McFadden in her apple orchard in County Armagh.
Taking off the table top.
Fixing the batons in the opposite direction, joining the 2 extensions together to give support.
Measuring and marking out the drill holes to attach to the base.
Hey presto! One hour later and a new table to sit 4 (6 at a push).
Somewhere to hide if thunder and lightening strike!
Solid oak top and cast iron base means that this table will not be going anywhere...(maybe)
Its now 3 weeks since the end of Cabaret run at the Mac, and that means its well overdue for Part 2 of Cabaret costume blog. The tidy up is over, and all costumes have been returned to the hire company's or stored away for a possible revival.
This time its all about the Emcee, who was wonderfully played by Patrick J. O'Reilly. Patrick had shared a personal story of his during a photo shoot that he had always dreamed about playing the role. I believe the role was made for him.
Emcee had quite a few costumes, some consisting of more fabric and coverage than others. P.J was up for adventurous costumes and always gave his very welcomed thoughts on his costume.
Costume sketch for the opening number 'Wilkommen'
Photography by Neil Harrison Photography.
Perfect leather jacket find in Oxfam. Superbly lit by James McFetridge and set against Stuart Marshall's broken down set.
Costume sketch for Emcee
Turned into reality for the photoshoot.
Lit up stage.
A little less costuming required for this scene!
Sketch for 'Two ladies'
Lederhosen from The Rusty Zip. Hat from my collection, kilt socks from Edinburgh, Irish dancing shoes from the internet.
The final scene involved a new make. It was possible to buy striped pjamas on the High Street, but the stripes were too fine and the fabric too lightweight to have any substance and impact on stage.
Stencils and felt patches recreate the disturbing uniform of the concentration camps.
It was important that the striped pjamas looked used and this called for them to be 'broken down'. My sister Kathryn works in the Breakdown department at Game of Thrones so I employed her expertise. This gives the garment more effect and impact on stage. This costume in the final scene caused the audience to gasp, and consider the impact of the production.
I was first asked by Bruiser Theatre Company to be Costume Designer and Supervisor on their production of 'Cabaret' back in May. It was to be my first experience designing for theatre, working with director Lisa May. I had celebrated a big 40th birthday in April, and I am always up for new adventures and challenges.
The celluloid story of Cabaret is famously told by Liza Minelli as Sally Bowles, in Bob Fosse's 1972 direction. Leading us underground and into a seedy, sexy world of broken down colourful characters, its where many of us get our first introduction into the sights and songs of the show.
Joel Grey sings 'Willkommen'
This blog is all about the Cabaret costume journey, and will be in 3 parts, due to the immense number of styles that were designed and produced. I will also be posting lots of other photos from the journey on my facebook site https://www.facebook.com/ColourandCloth. Give me a LIKE when you are there to get lots of updates!
If you see a photograph not credited, please email me with the details and I will give credit where it is due.
As early as May there were promotional marketing posters to be photographed. These demanded being very creative with time, money and resources. Turned out, 99% of the costume supplied for the photo shoot came from my own closet! Perhaps there is a little of Sally Bowles in me..
I teach Level 3 BTEC Costume at Belfast Metropolitan College BMET and my students had just completed their 32 week course. The timing of this show gave them a great opportunity to be involved and increase their skills and make contacts within the industry. From the course we had Janine, Julie-Ann, Lisa and Alex. With Erica, Marc, Sophie and Claire contacting me directly via fairs, facebook and website. Nuala came on board from Bruiser, she works at the best vintage and retro store in town The Rusty Zip, and conquered her fear of the sewing machine. Each intern has their own costume story to tell and are the costume crew of the future.
Its all about networking!
First week in July saw the move in to the MAC Theatre, Belfast. This was to become home from home until mid September.
The wardrobe room in the MAC transformed into a design and making studio.
Kerri Quinn a local actress from Belfast was cast as Sally Bowles. It was great fun designing her costumes as the show allowed a lot of freedom.
This design was for Sallys's introduction into the show. I wanted her first appearance to be strong, wild and spectacular. The fringed dress was a 'find' and the headpiece was made by my costume student Eileen Curran and was featured in a lot of online and printed press.
Sally maintains strong colours and sparkly fabrics with movement at the start of Act 1, but as she meets Cliff, her colours soften, and her vunerability begins to reveal.
Costume sketch for 'Don't Tell Mama'.
Claire meticulously hand sews on 10 metres of pink marabou trim. The cream tutu was from Hell Bunny, I dressed it on the mannequin from the bust instead of the waist and it instantly took shape. A pink sequinned shawl was added to the top for colour, movement and sparkle.
Kerri in full swing in the 'Don't Tell Mama' number.
Image : Neil Harrison Photography
My design sketch for 'Mein Herr'. There are always a few changes to be made from the sketch to the final costume. Black hose with a red back seam, and shoes soled in red all were essential design details. The top hat was original silk 1930's, but later was replaced with a bowler.
The bodice for Sally's Mein Herr costume started life as a sparkly dress with a centre frilly section. Once the frills were removed we had to join the bodice and skirt back again. It was then fitted on Kerri and the pant shape drawn in, cut and sewn. Because the dress was already boned and lined, this was the best way to produce this design.
A large percentage of the costumes had been sourced from vintage and charity stores and then customised. This involves a lot of creative thinking, to see a garment for what it could become, rather than how it already exists.
Kerri looking perfectly marvellous as Sally Bowles in Mein Herr.
Kerri had a lot of costumes and they all had stories to be told. Choreographer Sarah Johnson had Kerri jumping off tables, climbing over chairs, lying on the ground all within one scene to the dancing piano keys of musical director Matthew Reeve. Costume has to react to all of this.
Costume sketch for 'Cabaret'
£20 mans tuxedo jacket from British Heart Foundation. I went out that lunchtime, wanting to find this jacket, and I found it! It was exactly the style I needed to work on.
Front view of the waistcoat. Looking a lot more feminine.
Side view of the waistcoat. Sides bound in satin.
Backless waistcoat, completed with suspender strap.
£8 Skirt from Oxfam Vintage cut into a pair of trousers.
'Cabaret' . A turban with brooch completes the costume.
Image Neil Harrison photography.
In full swing at Cabaret Costume HQ with Gemma and my right hand, left handed woman, Claire Lilley, who deserves a round of applause!
Read a review... by clicking on the link. Feel Willkommen to leave a comment below if you enjoyed the show!
So far this week I have mostly been catching up on sleep after a very eventful and busy week previous. All shall be revealed in September ;)
I'm spending my evening on the sofa, a tub of icecream has mysteriously melted into my mouth, and the sun has melted into the horizon. With an hour before I turn into a pumpkin, I'm putting it to good use and sharing some couch time.
Often I sit on the couch and think, and then think of things I can change around the house. I do this to avoid actually doing work. My living into dining room is open plan and I'm very much into a good flow of energy and movement through my spaces. But there was a blockage. I hadn't noticed it in the 9 years I've been in the house, but there it was, the arm rest of the sofa.
So I got off the sofa and turned it on its side.
And sat the cushions back on the floor. Very uncomfortable after 2 hours watching a film, even though I really enjoy sitting on the floor.
I decided to make a chaise longue. With drills, screwdrivers and brute force I removed one end.
Took the remaining fabric and pinned it in place.
Hand stitched and staple gunned in place.
The finished sofa.
Much better view when lying down chilling out.
I also took the feet off the sofa, lowering it by a few inches, giving a more relaxed height and seating position.
Its not often that there is a bare wall in my house, and if I do see one it doesn't take long until something is getting hammered up.
I found this one last week...
I mean, what did it think it was doing hanging around naked, clothed in no art or mirrors?
And what does a touring map of Ireland, printed in Edinburgh and a bottle of Bushmills got to do with this naked wall?
Yard sticks from Copeland Linens, Belfast which shut up shop last February. Such beautiful wooden rules marked with material memories.
This is how I found the rulers in the factory when it was closing. I think this is a beautiful scene in itself. Dockets of fabric purchases, customer orders and the Irish linen draped from a hook.
The wonderful map of Ireland backed in linen which I purchased from Yellow Submarine, Belfast for a few pounds a few months ago.
Off to Ikea for a frame big enough and light enough to protect the old map.
