Elizabethan costumes get their own showcase
A exhibition of sixteenth century costume specially designed for theatre and opera is running at the Macrobert this month.
Elizabethan Costumes for Theatre Performance will feature 13 outfits – inclusive of undergarments and accessories – that were designed for productions set between 1550 and 1620. The exhibition is running until February 27 and all work has been carefully designed by Edinburgh College Theatre Costume students. Macrobert Arts Centre venue and project manager Elizabeth Fuller is delighted to have the pieces on show.
She said: “We’re delighted to be showcasing the work of these talented artists, as well as adding a new dimension to the exhibition programme at Macrobert Arts Centre. We have already had some great feedback from visitors to the exhibition and look forward to more people enjoying the array of costumes on display.”
As part of their training the students involved in the project adopted the role of a costume cutter and maker, working on a period production set and producing costumes and accessories using designs provided by lecturer Anya Glinski.
And she said: “The students’ work is very impressive considering the scale of the project and the restrictive budgets imposed upon them, which necessitated a variety of cost saving measures and innovative experimentation in order to replicate the lavish embellishment so typical of the era.
“During their training students learn how to use historical knowledge and period research to inform their practical production.
“These key skills will provide them with a toolkit for their future in the industry, whether they decide to work in theatre or film.”
The stunning costumes have previously been on display at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh and they will be heading to the newly refurbished Perth Theatre once the Macrobert exhibition has concluded.
Graduate Suzanne Coll said: “The project allowed me to immerse myself in the etiquette and fashions worn by the aristocracy of the period and, having wrestled with the weight and bulk of these reproductions, appreciate the more casual, comfortable clothing we wear today.” The exhibition is now open daily
from 10am to 8pm.