A blog from Marilynn S. Zeljeznjak, producer for our spring show. While reading her blog, check out our masks from our 1920’s themed “Much Ado About Nothing”!
As a high school theatre teacher in San Diego, I for all aspects of the production. While my actors were always clothed, I never actually designed the costumes. My costuming skills consisted of going to a discount fabric store to see what struck my fancy. Most fabrics were $0.99 a yard, but occasionally, I’d splurge and spend all of $1.39! The next stop was to browse through the pattern books to see what would work. Most of the time I had a team of “Drama Mamas” who would make the items after a team of students helped me cut out the patterns. (I discovered early on, that I could save quite a bit of fabric by doing this.) Occasionally, I had a student who designed the costumes. The first designer was for a delightful 20’s comedy, The Torch Bearers. Unfortunately,she really didn’t know how to sew and most of her dresses were glued together! The next designer did know the rudiments for sewing, but the first skirt she made was big enough for three actresses! Cast members and their moms came to the rescue; Becoming Memories was a beautiful production as well as one of my favorites.
In the 1990’s I added a Shakespeare variety show to our schedule. As my students scrambled to costume their scenes, I decided to increase our stock. The next season was “A Year of Fantasy”and we built lots of Elizabethan costumes from the numerous Renaissance patterns that were available. The nice thing about doing scenes was that in many cases, casting was flexible. Girls and boys could switch roles and settings as well as do scenes such eas “Romeo and Juliet y Julietta.”
Fast forward to 2005-6. For my final two spring productions, I had an awsome student designer (who is now studying fashion design in London). In a moment of absolute madness, we decided to set A Midsummer Night’s Dream, my last production, in the ante-bellum South. All the ladies, and some of the fairies, had corsets and hoop skirts. While it was costuming nightmare (I even wound up making several dresses); it was, to say the least, a gorgeous production.
Six years later, and half a continent away, I suddenly found myself in charge of costumes for New River Stage’s production of HONK! Although I really missed my “Drama Mamas,” I did have a wonderfuldesigner and quite a bit of help. I was quite pleased with the results.
And now we come to Much Ado about Nothing. WhenSarah asked me to help her with her show, I agreed. As she auditioned at the library, I searched for 20’spatterns she could use. Then Sarah asked if I could do some renderings for the web site. As you look at them, please keep in mind that I have never done a rendering before!
Enjoy another blog from our very own Paul Rycik (Don John)! Also, don’t forget to purchase your tickets for Much Ado About Nothing online. Check out the Much Ado About Nothing page to purchase tickets.
Production Photo for Open Air Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing." Photo by Anthony Zeljeznjak.
Costumes play a very important role in Shakespearean plays, after all, Shakespeare himself coined the phrase: “Clothes make the man.” In an Elizabethan playhouse where there is no set, (or an outdoor theatre like ours), an actor’s costume proclaims who he or she is playing, and what time period that person comes from.
Our director has chosen to set this production in the 1920s, a period known for high fashion, multiple artistic revolutions, and great improvement in the status of women. It was a decade of rapid, frenetic, and unrepentant change. In politics, art, fashion, and in theatre, old ideas were not just being challenged, they were being replaced! Benedick and Beatrice would certainly thrive in this environment, because their rejection of marriage, and determination to do things their own way.
Section 1: Female and Male Fashion in the 1920s
The general trend in women’s fashion in the 1920s was short hair, form fitting dresses, and a thin silhouette.
The most famous female fashion was the “Flapper,” a style so popular, that for many young women in the 20s, it became a way of life. Below is a video that describes flapper fashions, and explains how this look became a statement of defiance for young women in the 20s:
Men’s Fashion-
Men wore short suit jackets, the old long jackets used merely for formal occasions. In the early twenties, men’s fashion was characterized by extremely high waisted jackets. Trousers were relatively narrow and straight (never tapered) and they were worn rather short so that a man’s socks often showed. Trousers also began to be worn cuffed at the bottom at this time. During the late 1920s, double-breasted vests, often worn with a single-breasted jacket, also became quite fashionable. During the 1920s, men had a variety of sport clothes available to them, including sweaters and short trousers, commonly known as knickers. For formal occasions in the daytime, a morning suit was usually worn. For evening wear men preferred the short tuxedo to the tail coat, which was now seen as rather old-fashioned and snobby.
Section 2: Fashion References in Much Ado About Nothing
Production still from "Much Ado About Nothing" by Anthony Zeljeznjak.
Since this play is about upper class people preparing for a wedding, fashion is a frequent topic of their conversation. Below are a few costume references from the play with definitions from Shakespeare’s Lexicon by Alexander Schmidt.
Cap- A loose-fitting headdress, or soft brimless head-dress.
BENEDICK Hath not the world one man but he will wear his cap with suspicion? (I,I,)
MARGARET Doth not my wit become me rarely?
BEATRICE It is not seen enough, you should wear it in your cap.
Coxcomb- The iconic fool or jester’s cap.
DOGBERRY Let him write the prince’s officer coxcomb”
Doublet– A leather jacket worn outside one’s regular shirt.
BENEDICK And now will he lie ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a new doublet.”
Jerkin– Long close-fitting jacket worn over or in the place of a doublet.
Codpiece (right)- cloth case or pocket worn by men at the front of breeches or hose.
Sometimes entire passages in Much Ado About Nothing refer to fashion, as in this example from Act III, Scene iii:
BORACCIO
Thou knowest that the fashion of a doublet, or a hat, or a cloak, is nothing to a man.
CONRADE
Yes, it is apparel.
BORACHIO
I mean, the fashion.
CONRADE
Yes, the fashion is the fashion.
This passage tells a lot about Boraccio’s motivations, and also shows a lot about the role of fashion in the Elizabethan period. “Fashion” in this case refers not only to the clothing, (its fine craftsmanship and contemporary style), but also to its wealth. Back in the Elizabethan era, people showed off their wealth and status with the clothes they wear; they literally wore their money on their backs. When Boracchio refers to fashion being nothing to a man, he means that a man of wealth and property has no reason to worry about buying fancy clothes. This betrays the reason Boraccio wants to work for Don John- money, and aspirations of becoming a wealthy gentleman. Act III, Scene iii.
Close Reading- Act III, Scene ii
Daniel Lewis (Don Pedro), Samantha Turlington (Leonata), Andrew Keller (Benedick), and Claudio (Justin Brugos) in a scene from Act III, Scene ii
There is no appearance of fancy in him, unless it be a fancy that he hath to strange disguises; as, to be a Dutchman today, a Frenchman to-morrow, or in the shape of two countries at once, as, a German from the waist downward, all slops, and a Spaniard from the hip upward, no doublet. Unless he have a fancy to this foolery, as it appears he hath, he is no fool for fancy, as you would have it appear he is.
In this passage, Don Pedro observes Benedick and mockingly tries to get Benedick to confess that he is in love. Benedick has fallen in love with Beatrice and it has changed his behavior completely- including his manner of dress, which Pedro singles out as a sign of love. This is not unlike a similar passage in As You Like It, where Rosaline tells Orlando that disorder in dress is one of the signs of love. To understand Don Pedro’s remarks, one must first look at some of the European fashions of the time.
Consider this picture of a Dutch courtier by Ferdinand Bol, c. 1640. Notice that though he looks rich, his outfit is fairly austere, no exaggerated codpiece, pants that cover and do not emphasize the shape of the man’s thigh or legs. This is the demure image of the Dutch aristocrat, which is why the liberal prince makes fun of him.
This is an image of a French courtier from the Valois Tapestry (1576). This man’s outfit is practically the opposite of the smart, modest Dutchman. His hose are tight-fitting, decorated with fine embroidery to draw the eye, and his hose show off the shape of his leg. This would be like wearing leather pants today- this outfit is all about flash and sex appeal. Here is a sketch of German aristocrats from the late 16th century. The English liked to make fun of the baggy clothing of the Germans with their padded slops and their peascod belly doublets. These men look like their clothing is only designed to ward off Germany’s cold winters, rather than looking strong, sexy, or powerful.
To the right is a picture of German slops, which, as the century wore on, got bigger, and baggier. Going back to the passage quoted earlier, you’ll notice how the people that Pedro makes fun of are all foreigners, none of them are English or Italian. The English liked to make fun of the fashions in other countries, especially the Spanish and the French, (their political enemies). They made fun of the German and French for their slops in particular, probably because slops were so baggy; a man wearing them looked like he was concealing an erection. Pedro is implying Benedick has ‘something to hide,’ since he is thinking about Beatrice all day. Mercutio makes the same joke, when he makes fun of Romeo’s “French slop.”
Don Pedro’s comment about a doublet suggests that Benedick has been walking around with no jacket. This was considered a sign of madness and Ophelia uses it as evidence of Hamlet’s madness in Hamlet, Act II, Scene i: Notice how both passages shockingly refer to the unusual fashion of not keeping ones doublet in proper order. Once again, Pedro is subtly hinting to how Benedick must be in love based on his erratic behavior, which fits in with the stereotype of Spaniards as sex-crazed hot bloods. Spaniards did not Remember, Elizabethans had no heating systems to spare them from cold, so not wearing one’s doublet was very dangerous. Only a madman (and by extension, an unrequited lover), would engage in such self-destructive behavior. Thus, through Don Pedro’s subtle pokes at Benedick, the prince lets him know that he cannot hide his love for Beatrice; it has already manifest itself in his clothes.
As mentioned before, wealthy Elizabethans spent their money on clothes the way modern rich people spend money on yachts and home entertainment systems. Dukes and counts would buy tailor-made, beautifully embroidered clothes, and their outfits sometimes were as famous as the people who wore them.
This final quote from Act III, Scene IV illustrates this principle. The day of Hero’s wedding, her gentlewoman Margaret is comparing her gown to the famous dress of the Duchess of Milan:
Sara Landis (Hero) and Sarah Klingbeil (Margaret) in a scene from Act III, Scene iv
MARGARET By my troth, ‘s but a night-gown in respect of yours: cloth o’ gold, and cuts, and laced with silver, set with pearls, down sleeves, side sleeves, and skirts, round underborne with a bluish tinsel: but for a fine, quaint, graceful and excellent fashion, yours is worth ten on ‘t (Much Ado, Act III, Scene iv).
Margaret refers to a famous gown worn by Christine of Denmark, a real noblewoman who was immortalized in this portrait: This is a portrait of Christtine of Denmark, Dutchess of Milan from 1521-1590. Notice that, just like Margaret’s description, the cloth is cut with gold, the sleeves and gown are adorned with gold, silver, and pearls, and the dress itself is mostly black (the most expensive color to produce back in the 1590s). These were all common fashions for the upper class in the 16th century. Notice also that the cloth on the sleeves is slashed, (cut open) to reveal the much more expensive silk embroidered with silver and gold. Pearls were a symbol of virginity to the Elizabethans, and at this point, Chistine had been widowed twice over, which is why she is clutching the tassel with the pearl around it, as a symbolic assertion of her chastity. The image was scanned from the Weiss Gallery catalogue: A Noble Visage, Early Portraiture, 1545 – 1660, London, 2001.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at the material culture of Elizabethan England. If you would like more info on Elizabethan fashion, please leave a comment below and Open Air Shakespeare NRV will point you to some great resources! -Paul Rycik, 3/17/12
Visit ourMuch Ado About NothingPage to pre-pay for tickets!
Hey everyone, check out our poster! Credit for the poster goes to Mary Dassira from Virginia Tech. Send this to your friends and family, we look forward to seeing you at the show.
This is a portrait of Christtine of Denmark, Dutchess of Milan from 1521-1590. Notice that, just like Margaret’s description, the cloth is cut with gold, the sleeves and gown are adorned with gold, silver, and pearls, and the dress itself is mostly black (the most expensive color to produce back in the 1590s). These were all common fashions for the upper class in the 16th century. Notice also that the cloth on the sleeves is slashed, (cut open) to reveal the much more expensive silk embroidered with silver and gold. Pearls were a symbol of virginity to the Elizabethans, and at this point, Chistine had been widowed twice over, which is why she is clutching the tassel with the pearl around it, as a symbolic assertion of her chastity. The image was scanned from the Weiss Gallery catalogue: A Noble Visage, Early Portraiture, 1545 – 1660, London, 2001.
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