OCR GCSE Drama

22 Costumes When designing a costume, you might consider: • The style of the production (Is it realistic/naturalistic or stylised/ non-naturalistic?) • The period and location of the play • The personality and occupation of the character • Fit and silhouette • Colours and fabrics • The condition of the costume (Is it clean and new or dirty and well worn?) • The effect of the costume on the audience’s perception of the character. A Research potential costume choices for a character in the play you are studying. Depending on the demands of the play, you could do this by: • Looking at photographs from the period (for example, 1960s–70s for Blood Brothers or the Second World War for Kindertransport ) • Observing real-life characters who resemble those in the play • Noting suitable clothing you come across in films, newspapers and magazines and on television and websites • Examining paintings or photographs for ideas • Exploring websites of costume designers for inspiration. B Based on your research, draw some costume sketches for your chosen character and annotate them to explain your choices, as in the example on the left from Blood Brothers . TASK 2.6 EXTENSION Some designers create mood or inspiration boards to collect their ideas for a design. These might include fabric samples, photographs, sketches, colour swatches and any other images that they find aids their creative process. Try creating your own inspiration board for a costume or set of the play you are studying. A costume research board by designer Laura Ann Price is provided here as an example. Theatrical metaphor: Comparing something in the play to something else in order to make a point. For example, to indicate conflict, you could use the theatrical metaphor of placing the action in a boxing ring or at a football match. KEY TERm: Set and props When designing a set, consider the requirements of the play, including: • The period and location of the world of the play • Any location changes and ways of showing these. • The colours, textures and materials used in your set • The exits and entrances and, if needed, the levels, of your set • If there is a theme to reinforce with your set through symbolism or theatrical metaphor . Brown corduroy trousers: popular in the 1970s. Patched: suggests they are second hand. Loose, baggy fit: makes Mickey appear underweight. 2 COmPONENT 4: DRAmA: PERFORmANCE AND RESPONSE: SET TEXTS