Costumes for Twelfth Night: The Chorus

In Classical Greek drama, the chorus was a group of actors who described and commented upon the main action of a play through song, dance and recitation. The Chorus in Twelfth Night would serve a similar purpose, being omnipresent and witnessing the action of the play, while also playing the minor roles, creating sound effects and morphing themselves into parts of the set, such as Viola's ship or Malvolio's prison cell.

photo by: Ross Davidson

photo by: Ross Davidson

Unsure of what the auditions would bring, the director was hoping for a group of nine individuals to take on the role of The Chorus. Instead, eight talented ladies stole the director's heart, and so The Chorus was born. I must admit, I was overjoyed to be able to costume eight ladies, as the costumes I already had in mind would not only be such fun to make, but would also create a stunning visual impact on the stage.

The director wanted The Chorus to look "undone," though not in a sense of their costumes being unfinished, simply that perhaps The Chorus may be in a state of undress while at the beach. She wanted a mix of style in a uniform shade of neutral cream with hints of sea blue to distinguish the ladies of The Chorus as one unit.

photo by: Ross Davidson

For me, The Chorus would be providing a sort of spiritual backdrop for the main action; always watching, always listening, but never interfering with the complications that unfold in Twelfth Night. With the direction I had been given in terms of what the costumes for The Chorus should look like, I wanted to take the director's basic idea and really elevate it to something exquisite.

Looking at the fashion of the era, ladies of the day wore numerous foundation undergarments, such as chemises and corsets, bloomers, petticoats and bustles, and so I began researching Victorian and Edwardian undergarments, many of which are quite stunning in their own right.

Playing with a variety of undergarments, I began layering different pieces on each of my costume sketches, giving each member of The Chorus an individual look that would flatter her figure, and also compliment the look of the group as a whole. The elements I was putting together were a combination of Victorian and Edwardian fashion, with a touch of my personal creativity mixed in. The costumes and would be created in varying shades of white, cream and beige, with integrated flashes of blue, which for me, represented more than just the sea, as blue is a colour often associated with spirituality, an aspect that I also associate with The Chorus.

photo by: Ross Davidson

Once my rough ideas and sketches were sorted out, I began sourcing patterns and my final design sketches came to life. Nearly every single one of the costume pieces for The Chorus was created from scratch, including six corsets. These costumes were definitely a challenge for me to build, but when I look at the group of these gorgeous ladies on stage, it takes my breath away, and I am so pleased that I put in the time and dedication to get these costumes just right.

Fabian, Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Sir Toby Belch hide among The Chorus
photo by: Ross Davidson

even the back view is alluring
photo by: Ross Davidson

Finally, take a look at my individual costume design sketches and the final costumes for each one of the ladies of The Chorus. Special thanks to Ross Davidson for the production photos.

RACHEL FLEAR

costume design & construction by: Whitney Bolam
photo by: Ross Davidson

HANNAH ROBINET

costume design & construction by: Whitney Bolam
photo by: Ross Davidson

LILA CIESIELSKI

costume design & construction by: Whitney Bolam
*costume pieces also sourced from LCP Wardrobe
photo by: Ross Davidson

LIZ MARRA

costume design by: Whitney Bolam
costume construction by: Whitney Bolam & Tania Harvey
photo by: Ross Davidson

MARGARITA SANCHEZ LEON

costume design by: Whitney Bolam
costume construction by: Whitney Bolam & Tania Harvey
photo by: Ross Davidson

RACHEL KUIPERY 

costume design by: Whitney Bolam
costume construction by: Whitney Bolam & Tania Harvey
photo by: Ross Davidson

MERIEL REED

costume design by: Whitney Bolam
costume construction by: Becky Lenko
photo by: Ross Davidson

TARA GONDER

costume design & construction by: Whitney Bolam
*costume pieces also sourced from The Costume Shoppe
photo by: Ross Davidson

Check back tomorrow for a feature on my costume choices for "The Rascals."