Princess and the Dating Game....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

WTF from Matt Zarley on Vimeo.


Since recently signing up to the "Infomaniac"


"Fag, Hag and Odd Slag Dating Service" 


My life has changed in Oh so many ways!....


All I can say is...


Thanks Mistress MJ....

Alice doesn't live here any more...

Hello Dhaaarlings...

Princess is quite exhausted from the past few months of toiling over costumes for this fabulous production  and considering that the main lead characters were 15 and 16 year olds they did a fantastic job.

Support roles were younger still... right down to the prep grades at primary school a total of 185 kids took part in the production. All requiring costumes and some of the support cast several costumes as they played up to 3 different roles!

I cannot claim responsibility for Alice... the King and Queen of Hearts... the Cards-men or the Dormouse or the green suit for the Frog Butler

(but I did make the frogs head)... Nor the big red Dodo Bird. Nor am I responsible for the Tweedles... (although I did manage to do a fabulous rescue of their outfits at around 5 am on the morning of the shows opening. Much to the shagrin of their maker)

Their shirts were too short/ long and ill fitting for their build. Both the kids playing the roles were quite disappointed after seeing what Princess had created for the other Leads. So I managed to make them a cummerbund in shiny yellow and red satin that disguised the problems with their costumes.

Both were delighted with the outcome and couldn't thank me enough for making the extra effort to bring their costume to life. I had some lovely feed back from their parents as well... to say just how much their kids attitude to the show had changed since the cummerbunds were added to their costumes...

So as much as it was a rush to do... I felt very rewarded in my effort...

The photos you see here are from the programme so you might note what I am talking about with regard to the Tweedle's...

Those of you with a keen eye might also have noted that there are 2 of my fabulous flowers wearing Daisy Hats. Well Darlings let me tell you... this was no accident. I had been having a devil of a time getting Violet's hat
(purple dress) to stay on her head during the dance scenes and was still working on getting it fixed on the day the photo's were taken... On the other hand Daisy (Yellow Dress) was absent from rehearsal that day due to being very ill (she made a valiant effort to recover to be well enough to perform in the show) But after the photo session with Violet using Daisy's hat, We sent the whole costume home to Daisy so that we would have a photo of her for the programme.... so with the wonders of modern technology.... she was photo-shopped into the picture... Hence the 2 daisy hats!


I have always loved the theatre and costumes... but this has been my first real attempt at costuming on such a grand scale.
I did not know that I had this ability within me... Nor did I anticipate the wonderful reviews, reactions from the kids and their parents and the general public. Nor did I anticipate the media coverage or the level of gratitude expressed by the design team regarding my talents and skills...


Through the process of observation over time working on the costumes it occurred to me as a new comer that there are certain attitudes amongst some of those that have been doing this sort of thing for many years... that although not openly stated some roles/characters are made More glamourous / "special" than others.


It is not in my nature to operate in this manner... particularly when it comes to Kids
I believe that 


"Every kid in the show has the right to look spectacular on stage" 


This became my mantra!


And I think it shows....


I think that I have done alright for my debut... and so must the school... 
There are discussions afoot to include wages in the budget for my continued contribution to their drama programme and involvement in next years production of "Annie".


But right now darlings this tired little Princess is in need a nice big tall gin...
and a good lie down....


Bottoms up Darlings!

The Princess and the Mushroom....

Hello Darlings...

I have some photos of the Mushroom, the Caterpillar and the Butterfly that  I talked to you about in yesterdays post...

And here they are...

I'm almost ready for a well earned champagne...

And a very long sleep Darlings...

and yes Darlings...

That is Princess in the middle photo!

The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Mucus....

Hello Dhaaarlings...

I'm exhausted from burning my candle at both ends!...

It has been a much bigger task than I had anticipated making seven costumes from scratch given that they had to be drafted individually... 

That is ... the vision of the finished garment had to be pulled from my cluttered brain to start with and put down on paper. 
Measurements of each the cast members taken and then patterns drafted onto butchers paper in the individual sizes.

Thank goodness that the Empress was able to unpick all the stitching on the original curtains so that all the hems and seams in the fabric could be pressed out and all of it used.

Then there was the deciding on colours to be used for each garment and trying to make them look as similar to the costumes used in the original movie as possible... with a few alterations as some of the younger girls wouldn't wear shorts like in the movie, and in order to make Kurt look younger, I had to make braces for his shorts and he will now wear the shirt tucked in.

Then there was the sewing of buttons and bows, head scarves and aprons and ruffles....
I'm feeling a little like a pin cushion from hand stitching the lining into the frocks and buttons and velcro fastenings


I have also managed to score the job of tizzying up the curtains for the back drop on set(See top Picture) The central curtains and 2 side curtains that will cover the brick walls at either side of the sage. I was up to 3 am this morning fannying around with the Phaff again...


But I am pleased to announce that they are finished and ready for the Gala opening night tomorrow evening...


So without further ado I present....

The Von Trapp Children's Play Clothes...

Leisl

Fredrich

Louisa

Brigitta

Kurt

Marta

Gretyl

The seven little von Traps will not have to play in their uniforms any longer!


And Now... I'm off to the final rehearsal Dhaaarlings...

3 down 5 to go!

Hello Dhaaarlings...

I told you that I was under a pile of calico and curtains...

Well here's what I've done so far...

Leisl, Frederich and Kurt are almost complete

I know there are only 7 von Trapp Children... but there are 2 Gretyl's in the cast and both are different sizes.

So that's a total of 8 costumes all together...

Tomorrow it's Louisa and Brigitta's turn

I hear my bed calling...

I've another early start at the phaff tomorrow dhaaarlings....