Saturday 18 January 2014

Othello - On the Run

The run for Othello is now well underway, and I was delighted to see today that it has been reviewed, with a mention of costumes! It was brilliant to work with Eleanor and Emilie again after University, Eleanor is an incredibly tallented designer so its good to see it being noticed - http://www.broadwayworld.com/uk-regional/article/BWW-Reviews-OTHELLO-Riverside-Studios-January-16-2014-20140118

Well done to Eleanor, and all the Orangutan Productions team!

Friday 10 January 2014

Othello - final day!

Today was my final day working as costume assistant for Orangutan Productions 'Othello', and it was by far the busiest! After an online meeting in the morning with Eleanor and Emilie, I headed over to the University with a list of the costume items that I had photographed that they had decided on, plus a small list of extra items they needed adding.
 
I returned to the stock the items that were no longer needed, and organised the new additions and then had them priced them up by the costume store attendant on shift - with the slight snag that, on further contact with Eleanor and Emilie that the budget had been reduced from what was previously anticipated. However after negotiating with the University they agreed to let us use the items that we had selected! With the costume store open until 1;20, but the collector for the costumes not arriving until half 2, I then had to arrange for the costume collection, which again the University agreed to. So now, the costumes are in London and the show will go on, and after a very busy week on the job it is now time to move on to another show and another day.
 
Thank you again to Helen at the AUB!

Thursday 9 January 2014

AUB Sourcing take 2

Today I headed back to the Universities hire department to get the last of the items that I could find, and to photograph each of the costume items, making sure that especially for shoes the sizes were with the photographs. As neither Eleanor or Emilie can make it down before the start of the show run, they are having to do the sourcing from the AUB from a distance. This means that from the items that I have photographed they will choose the ones they want tonight, for collection tomorrow by a third party to be transported to London.

Wednesday 8 January 2014

Sourcing from the AUB!

As a recent graduate, it is always a surreal experience returning to campus. This is the second show that has brought me back to my University, and this time it was to use the costume store. After overseeing the fittings in London yesterday, Eleanor and Emilie sent me a revised list of everything they wanted me to try and find in the costume store today, and so at 1:40 today I arrived at the University for my 40 minute appointment.
 
Thankfully the girl who was in charge of it today was very accomodating and let me stay in there for an hour!
 
Of the list of things I needed to look out for, I managed to find all but one of the shits, a bell boys suit, a jacket for Iago, a skirt for Emilia, multiple pairs of shoes, hats, braces and gloves. I was unable to find everything that was needed, but made a significant dent in the list. 
 

 
Now, with the selection so large and Eleanor and Emilie being commited to being up in London until the show, they have requested I send them photos of everything from the store that I have looked out, as well as adding in a few more items, so that they can select from a distance and so hopefully I will be able to get back in there tomorrow.

Tuesday 7 January 2014

The Final Stretch for Othello!

With the up and running on Sunday, the last of the costume prep is well underway and while Eleanor and Emilie have been overseeing fittings in London, I have been doing what I can to source the final costume bits locally and liasing with the hire house BSP. Todays hunting ground for the last of the items was Highcliffe, and it had a much wider selection of options in terms of what we need then I was able to find in Boscombe and Christchurch, especially in terms of hats!
 
BSP has been a fantastic resource, based in Poole their prices are not too high and in 24 hours they have managed to put together a list of photos with acompanying sizes of all suitable items in stock, which I have forwarded on to Eleanor and Emilie in the hopes that there will be something suitable.

I have now heard from Emilie and Eleanor this evening and in response to todays fittings they are writing out a list of the last items needed which they will be sending on to me tonight!

Sunday 5 January 2014

Costume Sourcing - take one

The reasons why costume sourcing at the start of a storm surge is not the best idea cannot be overstated.
 
Up to now I have been helping Emilie and arranging appointments with hire houses for our designer Eleanor and researching items online. Today was the first opportunity I have had to go out costume sourcing for the production, charity shop shopping in the ever lucrative areas for vintage items of Boscombe and Christchurch. However, with the storm surge expected today and the flooding situation already bad with multiple warnings issued locally, the situation was worse then I had hoped, with the majority of shops being shut.
 
I did manage to find a couple of possibilities for items but I will have to try another day when there are more available options - most likely tomorrow if the weather situation improves!