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The Secret Garden

http://www.angelexit.co.uk/

The link above will take you to the Angel Exit Theatre company webpage. I very much admire the Angel Exit Theatre Company. In my first year I went to see their production of ‘Moon Fleet’ and found the Company to be extremely creative with their costumes, set and props. I especially loved the black birds they made out of old umbrellas.

I will be working on a project for my final year at the arts University College in Bournemouth which will be a touring live production of  "The Secret Garden". 

http://www.angelexit.co.uk/productions/index.html

This link will take you straight to the current production  of  "The Secret Garden" page for "The Angel Exit Company"

I had the first meeting with the Designer Jodie Gardner on the first day back at University.  

This link will take to to Jodie's Blog and show you the development of her work on the production.

http://jodiedesignstheatre.blogspot.com/2011/05/secret-garden-with-angel-exit-theatre.html

The meeting also included 8 makers a set assistant and the supervisor. I will be a maker for this production.

We discussed which costume design we would like to create. I will be making The costume titled "Mary Garden". 

The character Mary will have two different costumes and I will have to work closely with Caroline another maker as she will be making the 1st costume for Mary and they will need to relate to each other.

 Description of the costume:

The costume will be white with flowers that look like they are growing from the dress. The floral print on the underside of the sleeve will need to be on the linning so she can roll them up to show it off during the performance.

Also the petticoat will have flowers on and will rise during the performance to reveal more.

The floral design will need to fall in-line with the set and the other costume prints being created.

This Costume will be need to be changed into quickly so this will be something I will need to consider when thinking about the openings and fastenings for the garment.

Other things I will need to consider:

•   The costume needs to be flexible and appropriate for the movement in the production.
• The hat will be sourced but the will have flowers and maybe wildlife crawling inside e.g. bugs, a birds nest (with eggs and maybe a bird- not a robin) basically things that might be in the garden.
• Once I have completed the construction of the garment I will need to use and improve my textiles skills working within my team to create additional accessories or garments for the performance, supporting members of the making team when necessary. 
  
  

Firstly I will research Edwardian blouses and six panelled skirts - this may need to become one costume for the quick change.

I will then complete line drawings to show where I am the seams should be and the openings on the garment and any major things that will need to be considered in the pattern drafting process. 

Then I will research different patterns  that I can interoperate into the costume with the measurements provided.Also the costume contains a six-panelled skirt with a blouse that may need to become one garment to help the quick change,  

This is a blouse I made for the National Theatre last year I will use my knowledge from this for example the collar opening and the pleats for this project.

My first task will be to research patterns I can use
Also I will create a time plan and a wall plan as I work better visually so one of my walls will be covered with visual inspiration and notes of task I will need to complete.
So my next Blog will contain what I have found and I will reflect on this first process.


I have found a book of The Secret Garden in the library which is from 1929 and has the original illustrations by Charles Robinson:

I want to use the decoration on this page and interperate this into my textiles work on this garment.

I will be using the greens and browns shown in both the picture above and below.

I want to take the colours from these pictures and use them in the textiles work on my costume.

Its good to be able to see how Mary has been interperated in the original illistrations as these would have been created by the immagination that Charles had once he had read through the text of the novel. These pictures would also have been agreed with by Frances the author and that they relect what she would have wanted Mary to look like.

If you look closer at this image there is a painting of a women in a garden.