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Just a few uniforms and dresses…
When I started working on From Here to Eternity I was told it would just be “a few uniforms and dresses”. In essence this is true, however as the production grew, the number of costumes grew and the realisation of maintaining this for an onstage cast of 31 turned out to be colossal.
Walking through the door in the morning I get straight into clearing up the aftermath of last night’s show. Eight loads of laundry a day need to be washed and dried ready for early afternoon when more of my troop arrive. With military precision they then have to press, steam or sort approximately 300 items of costumes every day.
The rehearsals of the show continue throughout the day and I get daily notes of changes required. Every day we need to mend and adapt the costumes to suit these changes as well as maintaining them. By 6pm the wardrobe team have managed to fix, clean and press all the costumes and have them ready and waiting for the actors. Some may think that our day ends there. The truth however is only half our job is done. My team often see the smooth running of the show backstage ensuring everybody is wearing the right thing at the right time.
Would I have taken this job if I had known I would spend my last hour of every night elbow deep in soapy water trying to get fake blood out of costumes? Of course I would! There have been ups and downs throughout this rollercoaster journey and every day brings a new challenge. I do not know what tomorrow will bring but I will be here nonetheless, ready and with a smile on my face.
Posted by Suz Hogg (Head of Wardrobe) on 08/10/2013 @ 14:00hrs