THE PLAY BOX

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 230, 28 September 1935, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE PLAY BOX

THE FASCINATION OF COSTUMES.

This week we turn from the study of stage settings to costumes. It is more interesting for amateurs to act a play in costume than in ordinary clothes, and far more interesting, too, for the audience to watch. . In a costume play it is most important to keep the details of the peuod correct, even to head-dresses, and all the little etceteras such as tight or mi sleeves must be carefully watched. Hcinembei- here, too, that there needs to lie only a suggestion of the right stv of clothes to create the impression ol the period in the mind of the audience. For instance, long straight clothes immediately revert the attention to the Middle Ages; full skirts and frills, and the audience is back in the Elizabethan or Georgian period. Costumes of medieval times are very easv to manipulate. The narrow sleeves can be quickly and effectively made by dyeing old stockings, cutting off the feet and shaping the tops. Mate « of the same kind as the main dress, If it can lie spared, when cut on the co s makes excellent clinging sleeves J whole gown for a woman can be. bin t „„ bv the use of a towel, jumper, petticoat'and nightgown. Ihe petticoat i pinned to the hips and thus t,^ ls "^ ] to the ground; the jumper is then slipped on and the nightgown put ™ iumper sleeves show and the petticoat, which should be of a contrasting shade shows below the mgitgow. The -t rvel is used as a cowl aiound the ; and there is the complete costume .lie Middle Ages.

Old iumpcrs are of iwe in innumerable wavs. A rather long pullover, with Ion" sleeves and preferably with a V neck can be used for all 14tli century ficures, and for pages of even a much later date. A page gown of a long jumper and a cape is most effective. Lone black school stockings complete the uniform, with another pair of gymnasium stockings rolled down over the ankjes to form shoes, with a coloured band round the ankle to contrast with the stockings. _ • - Another tvpe of dress which can be made in a few minutes is the empire dress A nightgown with short sleeves and a yard or"two of ribbon are the only materials needed. Turn the hem of the nightgown up an inch or two and make the sleeves slightly puff. Gather the gown a little to form a waist and tie the ribbon over the gathers with the ends falling in two long tails, either at the side or the back. , , Perhaps some of you know eldeily people who still have Victorian dresses stowed away, which they would be wiline to give or lend you. You will be'able to find models for other period costumes, however, in old pictures, books and fashion magazines. When dying old clothes, do not worry if the garments dry roughly and m natches. The effect from the audience's viewpoint will be better, if anythin"- Indeed, some experienced costume makers prefer the garments to have this "patchy" look to secure a rich effect. . . 4nd hero is the most important point of all. Try and make the actor look us if he or she were really of the period, not merely wearing old-tnne clothes.