Thursday, March 25, 2010
Theater Talkback: Costume Drama
NYTimes.com: "Even before he opens his mouth, you can tell that the central character in Martin McDonagh’s “Behanding in Spokane” is bonkers. Of course, it’s kind of a giveaway that he’s being played by Christopher Walken, that master interpreter of psychos. But look closely at what he’s wearing, and how he’s wearing it. Everything is at least secondhand, and nothing really fits, including that big black coat and those oversize, way-too-short pants. Yet his clothes seem as much a part of him as his skin, or a carapace for an armadillo. This guy lives in those duds and probably has for a long, long time."
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1 comment:
I love the kinds of costumes this article talks about. The point of a costume isn't just to look cool, or tell you what period the play is set in. The costumes should tell you about the character, and how the character sees themselves. The subtle differences in the different suits or accessories can instantly tell you more about a character than possibly their opening monologue, or fight scene, or what ever. I don't mean to say that costumes are more important than the acting--I don't mean that at all--but they can assist the audience in understanding the character before much acting has taken place.
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