COSTUME DESIGN FOR SWEENEY TODD
By JANAE LAFLEUR
SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: STACEY GALLOWAY, CHAIR STEVEN STINES, MEMBER
A PROJECT IN LIEU OF THESIS PRESENTED TO THE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF FINE ARTS UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT
Sections Introduction ...... 4 Play Synopsis ...... 4 Production History ...... 8 Design Process ...... 10 Design Concept and Character Analysis ...... 15 Sweeney Todd...... 16 Mrs. Lovett ...... 17 Anthony Hope ...... 18 Johanna ...... 19 Judge Turpin ...... 20 Beadle Bamford ...... 20 Aldolfo Pirelli...... 21 Tobias Ragg ...... 22 The Beggar Woman/Lucy...... 22 Rendering ...... 23 Production Process ...... 24 Casting ...... 24 Shopping and Pulling ...... 24 Wig Rentals ...... 26 Ensemble Fittings/Costumes ...... 26 Production Meetings/Safety Check ...... 27 Distressing...... 28 Dress Rehearsals ...... 29 Conclusion ...... 30 Appendices ...... 34 Appendix A: Research ...... 34 Appendix B: Renderings ...... 40 Appendix C: Sketches ...... 53 Appendix D: Production Photos...... 60 Biographical Sketch ...... 71
Summary of Project in Lieu of Thesis Presented to the college of the Arts of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Fine Arts
Costume Design of Sweeney Todd
By
Janae Lafleur
May 2015
Chair: Assistant Professor Stacey Galloway Major: Theatre
I submit this project in lieu of thesis as a Master of Fine Art candidate. Sweeney Todd was produced by the University of Florida School or Theatre and Dance in October, 2014 as part of the 2014-2015 season. Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s musical masterpiece was directed by Professor Tony Mata with musical direction by Professor Tony Offerle and designs by a team of third-year M.F.A. candidates.
The conceptualization of the costume design for Sweeney Todd began in March of
2014. By using both Victorian and modern silhouettes, a unique world that married the two eras was created. The following paper outlines the challenges and successes that were faced throughout the design and production process. The report concludes with a critical analysis of the process of the costume designer.
Introduction
In the fall of 2014, the University of Florida School of Theatre and Dance produced
Sweeney Todd. The director and design team sought from the beginning of the process to create a world that feels diseased and uneasy, with a lack of color and an obscure time period. In creating such a world, the team faced many obstacles in the pursuit of a cohesive design. For the costume design, both historical and interpretative research was used to influence a world that lay somewhere between real and imaginary. The costumes reflected a society that is full of corruption and greed. We faced many successes as well as many challenges throughout the design and production process. Although the process at times could be gruelling, exhausting and frustrating, it was an honor to be given the opportunity to bring Sweeney Todd to life.
Play Synopsis
Sweeney Todd opens with a prologue introducing the character of Sweeney Todd (“The
Ballad of Sweeney Todd”). A sailor named Anthony Hope explains that in all his travels he has never found a place more beautiful than London (“No Place like London”). As they land,
Anthony and Sweeney are approached by a Beggar Woman whom Sweeney dismisses without a glance. To satisfy Anthony’s curiosity, Sweeney tells a story about a barber, his family, and their misfortune to explain his hatred of London (“The Barber and His Wife”).
After his tale, the two men part ways. Sweeney wanders through the streets and stumbles into Mrs. Lovett’s meat pie shop
(“Worst Pies in London”). When asked about renting the room upstairs, Mrs. Lovett expands upon the story Sweeney had previously told Anthony (“Poor Thing”). Sweeney reveals himself as Benjamin Barker, the barber from the story, who was wrongfully accused of a crime and had his family stolen by Judge Turpin. Mrs. Lovett informs Sweeney that his wife poisoned herself and his daughter is now the ward of Judge Turpin. Sweeney swears to get revenge against the Judge and his lackey the Beadle by cutting their throats with his old barber razors (“My Friends”).
A new scene opens on a beautiful young girl singing to the birds caged outside her window
(“Green Finch and Linnet Bird”). Anthony is determined to learn who the young girl is (“Ah,
Miss”). The Beggar Women enters and tells Anthony the girl’s name is Johanna and she is
Judge Turpin’s ward. When Johanna reappears at her window, Anthony vows that he will be with her one day (“Johanna”), but he is caught by the Judge and told to never return. With that, Anthony is determined to rescue the beautiful maiden, run away with her and marry her.
The setting changes to a crowded marketplace where Tobias Ragg is selling Adolfo
Pirelli’s phony hair elixir (“Pirelli’s Miracle Elixir”). Sweeney challenges Pirelli to a shaving contest, easily wins (“The Contest”), and gains the Beadle as a client.
Returning to the barber shop, Mrs. Lovett calms Sweeney down as he waits for the
Beadle (“Wait”). Anthony enters excited about Johanna and gets permission to hide her at the barber shop after he rescues her. As Anthony leaves, Pirelli and Toby enter. Mrs. Lovett takes the poor neglected Toby downstairs for a pie and Pirelli reveals his true identity as
Daniel O’ Higgins. To avoid being blackmailed, Sweeney kills him and throws him in a trunk. (“Pirelli’s Death” and “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd Reprise 3”). Anthony and Johanna discuss plans to elope (“Kiss Me”); meanwhile the Judge and the Beadle are discussing plans for the Judge to marry Johanna. The Beadle suggests the
Judge get a shave in order to seduce her (“Ladies in their Sensitivities”). As Mrs. Lovett and
Sweeney begin to discuss the fate of Pirelli’s body, Judge Turpin enters the barber shop.
Todd begins to shave Turpin (“Pretty Women”). Just as Sweeney raises his razor for the kill,
Anthony barges in, spoiling the plan to run away with Johanna. The Judge storms out vowing to lock Johanna up and never to step foot in the barber shop again. Sweeney is enraged, throws Anthony out, then vows to kill all the clients that he brings into his shop
(“Epiphany”). Mrs. Lovett comes up with the idea to bake Sweeney’s victims into pies
(“Little Priest”).
Act Two opens on Mrs. Lovett and Toby in the pie shop where business is booming with customers all raving about her pies (“God that’s Good”). Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney acquire a new mechanized chair for the barber shop, which sends bodies down a chute into the bake house. Sweeney has become contented and begins to doubt his chance of reuniting with his daughter. Meanwhile, Anthony is still searching every part of London for Johanna and the
Beggar Woman is beginning to draw attention to foul deeds happening at Mrs. Lovett’s establishment (“Johanna Quartet”). Anthony finally finds Johanna locked up in an asylum, but before he can rescue her, the Beadle threatens to arrest him.
Mrs. Lovett sits with Sweeney in the parlor as she dreams about retiring to the seaside to be married to him (“By the Sea”). Anthony arrives to inform Sweeney that he has found
Johanna, but requires help to free her. Sweeney disguises Anthony as a wig maker to get him into the asylum and save her (“Wig Maker Sequence” and “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd –Reprise 4”). When Anthony leaves, Sweeney writes a letter to Judge Turpin telling him of
Anthony’s plan, in hopes the letter will bring Turpin to the barber shop (“The Letter”).
Toby is sitting in the parlor with Mrs. Lovett when he sees Pirelli’s coin purse and begins to suspect that Sweeney killed Pirelli (“Not While I’m Around”). Mrs. Lovett locks Toby in the bakehouse and upon returning finds the Beadle inquiring to investigate her establishment
(“Parlor Songs”). Mrs. Lovett stalls him until Sweeney returns, promising him a free shave.
While waiting for Mrs. Lovett, Toby is eating pies and in them finds a hair and a fingernail, and then the Beadle’s body comes down the chute. Mrs. Lovett tells Sweeney that Toby has guessed what is going on, so they decide to kill him.
Johanna shoots the asylum owner Mr. Fogg so she, Anthony and the other lunatics can escape. Todd and Mrs. Lovett roam the sewers looking for Toby while the Beggar
Woman is looking for the Beadle (“City on Fire/Searching”)
Anthony disguises Johanna in his sailor clothes and brings her to the barber shop, telling her to wait there (“Ah Miss, Reprise”). Johanna hears the Beggar Woman calling for the
Beadle and hides in a trunk. The Beggar Woman enters the barber shop to find it empty.
Sweeney returns to get ready for the Judge and discovers the woman. In a rush, he slits her throat and sends her down the chute (“Beggar Woman’s Lullaby”). The Judge enters looking for Johanna. Sweeney finally reveals himself to the Judge as Benjamin Barker, then slits his throat and sends him down the chute (“The Judge’s Return”). Sweeney exits but returns and finds Johanna climbing out of the trunk. Sweeney forces her into the chair to kill her, but stalls when he hears Mrs. Lovett scream and Johanna escapes.
In the bake house Mrs. Lovett is trying to drag the Beggar Woman into the oven, but Sweeney enters before she succeeds. Sweeney grabs the Beggar Woman, but then recognizes her as Lucy, his wife whom he thought dead for 15 years. Angry, Sweeney throws Mrs. Lovett into the oven despite her pleas of love. Sweeney returns to the side of his dead wife to mourn over her. Toby appears, maddened by what he has seen in the bake house, picks up the razor and cuts Sweeney’s throat. Anthony, Johanna and a police officer enter the bake house to find Toby rambling. The musical ends with a recap of the tale (“The ballad of Sweeney Todd”). The lights go down as Sweeney slams shut the door of his coffin.
Production History
With appearances in ballet, film, plays, television and musicals, the stories surrounding the character of Sweeney Todd have become legend passed down by many generations. First appearing in French magazines in 1825, the legend of Sweeney Todd was quickly adapted into its first theatrical production The Fiend of Fleet Street in 1847, after the widely popular story from 1846, A String of Pearls. Sweeney Todd lived through many more play adaptations as well as film adaptations between 1847 and 1979. Beginning in 1848, dozens of melodramatic adaptations of the play appeared and continued to run through the rest of the 19th century. In one such adaptation, the story centered on a dog who led the authorities to Sweeney’s parlor after the death of his owner. 1936 saw the first film version titled The Demon Barber of Fleet Street directed by George King. The film introduced the characters of Mrs. Lovatt, Tobias Ragg, and also versions of Johanna and Anthony. In 1959 the Royal Ballet Company produced a dance version with music by Malcolm Arnold and choreographed by John Cranko. In 1973 another dramamtic variation titled Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Christopher Bond, opened at the Theatre Royal
Stratford East. Bond’s play inspired Stephen Sondheim, which led to his collaboration with
Hugh Wheeler to create a musical (PBS).
In 1979, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opened at the Uris Theatre under the direction of Harold Prince, with Len Cariou playing the title role and Angela Lansbury as
Mrs. Lovett. The musical ran for 557 performances and received 7 Tony awards as well as numerous other accolades (Sondheim). During previews in 1979, the musical composition for Sweeney Todd met with mixed reviews; the music was thought to be sophisticated, elegant, and witty, however it was also criticized for being too complicated for the plot.
Even with the criticisms, Sondheim continued to work Sweeney Todd into what we know it as today (Eder).
After the successful premier, Harold Prince took the musical on a national tour in 1980 with Angela Lansbury continuing in the role of Mrs. Lovett and George Hearn playing the role of Sweeney Todd. The 1980s tour then became the first recorded performance of the musical. In 1984 it was revived at the Houston Grand Opera and after that by The
Metropolitan Opera in the same year, running for a combined 23 performances (Sondheim).
Sweeney Todd continued to be produced in many American theatres as an opera or in concert version, until the 2005 Broadway revival at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre. Opening
November 2005, the revival directed and conceived by John Doyle ran for 349 performances
(Sondheim); the production starred Michael Cerveris as Sweeney Todd and Patti Lupone as
Mrs. Lovett. The revival added a new twist to catch the audience’s attention; instead of a full orchestra playing in the pit, the cast members each played three or four instruments as well as singing and acting their roles. The concept allowed for a condensed cast of 10 and eliminated the ensemble. The costume and scenic designs, by John Doyle, were minimalist, using the idea of a sparsely furished mental ward as a setting instead of the elaborate sets, designed by Eugene Lee, for the 1979 Broadway premier. The revival was praised for creating a bleak world that engaged the audience in the deep psychology of the characters
(Eder). The 2005 revival came to Broadway as a remount of the successful production performed a year earlier at the Watermill Theatre in London.
The first London performance of Sweeney Todd opened at the Theatre Royal Drury
Lane in 1980. The production ran for 157 performances and although the house rarely sold out, it received the Olivier Award for Best Musical. The performance was revived at the
Royal National Theatre in 1993. Opening in the smallest of the National’s three houses, it was later moved to a bigger theatre to accommodate the high demand for tickets.
Following John Doyle’s 2005 revival, Jonathan Kent directed a production at the Chichester
Festival Theatre. The performance is notable for its setting in 1930 rather than 1846 and it received three Olivier Awards including Best Musical Revival (PBS).
Design Process
Before the design process began, it was apparent this musical was going to test my originality. Being a fan of Sondheim’s work and very familiar with Sweeney Todd, it was a challenge not to be influenced by past productions. The key points expressed by Professor
Tony Mata in his design concept were: Industrial, Modern Victorian, Grand Guignol, Film
Noir and Horror. He also expressed his desire to examine the story from the point of view of the Beggar Woman. By reading the script through the eyes of the Beggar Woman, the characters took on a sickly appearance. As a woman who spends her life in the street, she witnesses the corruption of the cities’ inhabitants.
In order to capture the director’s vision, the process began by creating a mood board with the intention of finding visual aids to fit the desired aesthetic. By searching for images using the keys words, Neo-Victorian became the major inspiration for the design. The term
Modern Victorian spans a wide range of aesthetics. Steampunk, which is characterized by
Victorian silhouettes with the addition of steam powered machinery (see Appendix A, Plate
1), is a widely popular sci-fi art style that is encompassed under the term Modern Victorian.
Although Professor Mata expressed his desire for an industrial look, the mechanical aspects of Steampunk becomes overpowering. Neo-Victorian is another form of Modern Victorian that combines Victorian, Edwardian, and Modern silhouettes. Unlike Steampunk,
NeoVictorian fashion feels more sophisticated and refined, with sleeker silhouettes. A major inspiration for my mood board and later for my costumes came from the 2009 menswear collection by Alexander McQueen titled McQueensberry Rules. The aesthetic of
McQueen’s collection captures the gritty edge needed to emphasize the horror we wished to portray in Sweeney Todd.
While collaborating with my fellow designers, we began to shape the world and make choices that created a cohesive look. Where the costumes lacked the industrial aesthetic Prof. Mata had requested, the scenic design compensated by modelling the set on a warehouse. Both the set and costumes moved towards the direction of gritty, dirty, and unsettling. In addition, both the set and costumes were using a grey-scale palette. It was also decided that the blood would not be on the costumes, rather it would drip down the white set, painting the sterile walls with bright red blood.
In conversation with Professor Mata, we discussed the color palette and his desire for a dull grey world with a few pops of color. He expressed the idea of the blood being the brightest color on stage in order to draw focus to the deaths. To represent the color palette, I prepared a board comprised of swatches. The colors chosen consisted of cool, dark purples, blues, greens, bronze, silver, gold, and greys as well as black and white. The fabric also explored dimensional textures as well as texture created by a pattern. Professor
Mata responded to the texture and the patterned fabric, but was not convinced by the color palette, believing there was too much color. As another way to inspired ideas, a board of paint chips was assembled in order to get his reaction to color rather than texture. After looking at the paint chips and removing the colors he did not like, Professor Mata expressed his interest in a grey-scale color palette. Using scaled-down renderings, several thumbnails of possible color combinations were created to see how the costumes would interact with each other. Once the colored sketches were approved, I began to swatch the renderings focusing on bold patterns and textures in order to add visual interest, making sure to utilize as many shades of grey as possible to avoid the costumes becoming monotone.
The arc of the characters, it was determined the only costume changes would be for
Mrs. Lovett and Johanna. In advancing the plot forward, costume changes seemed like an unnecessary convention and most of the characters do not go through a change in either motive or personality. Mrs. Lovett, however, is a character who is concerned with appearances. Between Act One and Act Two, her business has taken off and for the first time she has money; for this reason Mrs. Lovett needed a change for Act Two. Johanna has three costumes as dictated in the script; her Act One dress, her asylum outfit, and her sailor disguise at the end. When making character-based research boards, both modern fashions and Victorian silhouettes were referenced. Adding a layer of Victorian research, even though the play would not be set in the era, helped to round out the design choices and give more depth to each character. In conversations with Professor Mata, we discussed in depth the world of the play as a whole and discussed each character. Although the characters span a range of social classes, everyone in that world is exposed to the corruption of society and the harsh working conditions. We felt a harsh style of makeup would be representative of each character’s inner corruption. To create the sickly effect, we agreed upon whitening or greying down the actor’s skin tones and creating hard shadows and lines to shallow the cheeks.
Looking at characters with a modern sensibility, Professor Mata and I discussed each of the principal characters and some key characteristics he hoped each would possess. Mrs.
Lovett and Sweeney Todd are in their mid-forties, however, both of them have lived severe lives. Professor Mata responded well to the imagery of strait jackets for Sweeney and the idea of long thin hair. We agreed that Mrs. Lovett’s costume needed to express the practicality of a poor working woman as well as her personality, therefore, we decided to utilize asymmetrical and skewed lines for her costume. Although Anthony has been removed from the corruption and hardship of the city, his hard life on a ship ages him.
Johanna is the most pure character in the show and represents the ideal of innocence and desire. Professor Mata decided the Beggar Woman was going to carry a doll with her to act as her surrogate Johanna. For this reason we felt Johanna’s costume needed to reflect a porcelain doll. After seeing a research image of a deconstructed bustle cage, Professor Mata agreed the Beggar Woman’s costume needed to represent the decay of her mind through the years. The Judge and the Beadle are the most corrupt characters in the world of the play. They instigate the story by exiling Sweeney, they are also the richest men in the lay. It was agreed that both needed to take on a commanding and intimidating presence. Likewise
Pirelli is a completely corrupt character, but, he also acts as comic relief. We agreed that his character needed to be larger than life to come across as the perfect con man. We also discussed where the ensemble fit in the world. As regular townsfolk of the city, they needed to represent a range of classes and occupations.
In order to continue refining character choices, I made rough sketches of each character (see Appendix C). While sketching, the research boards as well as the conversations with both the director and my fellow designers were used as reference in creating silhouettes. As the sketches evolved so did the costume’s aesthetics. Through the sketching process the costumes were established as Victorian silhouettes with modern sensibility. By beginning with a Victorian silhouette, I was able to obscure the time period by adding modern elements and pieces. After meeting with my faculty mentor, Robin
McGee, and receiving advice on my design choices, I made a few adjustments to the characters. Originally Mrs. Lovett’s skirt was knee length while Johanna’s was floor length.
Because this made Mrs. Lovett appeared younger than Johanna, so the sketches were redone to make Mrs. Lovett’s skirt ankle length and Johanna’s knee length. In addition,
Robin encouraged me not to use an all-over pattern of wide stripes for Pirelli in fear that the actor would be swallowed in the big pattern and to look for ways to incorporate more hardware into my designs of the Judge and the Beadle. After seeing my sketches, Professor
Mata urged me to push Johanna’s costume even further into looking like a doll. The original sketch as well as the new version with a shorter skirt both felt too old and edgy for the pure innocent character of Johanna. Toward the end of the design process it came to my attention that the ensemble had not yet been addressed. Acting on the suggestion of my mentor, Robin McGee, collage boards were created incorporating items of clothing that fit into the world and could be purchased for the ensemble. After Prof. Mata’s approval of the collage, the ensemble costumes still felt disjointed, therefore, a rendering was created in order to work out more exact silhouettes (see Appendix B, Plate 13). Although the design process as a whole went fairly smoothly, the design of the ensemble costumes still challenged me. It would not be until later in the production process that the ensemble came together into a cohesive look.
As I was completing my design process, the other members of the design team fell behind in their process. After the approval of my renderings, I was ready to begin preparing for my production process, however, Prof. Mata was still not ready to commit to a set design.
Design Concept and Character Analysis
Sweeney Todd is a deranged love story ravaged by jealousy and revenge. The
NeoVictorian style costumes create a world that is both romantic and gritty. A bold contrast is created by the bright red blood dripping down the set against a grey-scale palette. The colors of the costumes also serve as a reflection of the morally corrupt world of the musical, where a murderer becomes a sympathetic character
By using a Victorian silhouette, the costumes reference a classical and romantic style, however; the addition of modern pieces and modern sensibility adds a dramatic flair and edge to the costumes. The grey-scale palette allowed for the use of patterns and textures to create visual interest. The moral code within the world of the play allows the audience to sympathize with and cheer for someone who would be perceived as a villain and serial killer in today’s society. However, under the conviction of love and revenge for a wrongful deed,
Sweeney is in the right. This dichotomy between right and wrong is prevalent throughout the show. All the characters are dishevelled and sickly to represent the torture of their lives.
The make-up design by Alyssa Couturier, was stylized by using white make-up to pale down the actor’s skin tone and black make-up to create thick harsh shadows and line. The heaviness of the make-up showed the characters as tired, and beaten down whereas, the whitened faces made them appear sickly.
Sweeney Todd
At first read, the character of Sweeney Todd can be viewed as monstrous. He exhibits no shame or regret and comes off as a cold man driven by revenge. However, after examining the script closer my perception of Sweeney’s character changed greatly and I began to view him more as a lost soul or hopeless romantic. From the beginning of the story, Sweeney states that his wife Lucy “was his reason and his life”. When Sweeney is arrested, his literal and figurative life is stolen from him. He becomes a man with no purpose except to regain the family he has lost. After his desperate escape, he returns to London to be told his wife is dead. Upon hearing the news, Sweeney becomes lost once again. Sweeney is driven to madness by what happened while he was gone. With no hope of seeing his wife again,
Sweeney’s new focus is reuniting with his daughter. Every action Sweeney makes throughout the play is an attempt to bring back the life that was stolen from him. Sweeney Todd’s costume was designed to reflect his inner struggle. The imagery of a prisoner bound and hopeless in a strait jacket became my inspiration for his costume (see
Appendix A, Plate 2). In order to incite fear, Sweeney is designed in a leather vest that is strapped up one side referencing the ties of a strait jacket (see Appendix B, Plate 1). His hair is long, thin, scraggily and turning grey and dull as the light in his life begins to fade. To tie in his look with the Victorian era he is wearing period-style, high-waisted trousers and a traditional button-up shirt. In addition to echoing Sweeney’s inner struggle, his costume is reminiscent of the clothing of Victorian barbers (see Appendix A, Plate 3)
Mrs. Lovett
Although Mrs. Lovett appears to be an innocent, frivolous character at first, as the story unfolds she is revealed as desperate and opportunistic. Mrs. Lovett begins deceiving
Sweeney from the moment she first meets him. By letting him assume his wife is dead, she robs Sweeney of his dream to be reunited with his family. In a desperate attempt to keep him out of jail and with her, she concocts the idea to grind Pirelli’s body up for meat. Then driven by her own greed and opportunism, she suggests the murder of innocent people to use for meat in her pie shop. In Act Two, Mrs. Lovett, once again afraid of getting caught, suggests killing Toby after he becomes suspicious of Mr. Todd. Although she has good intentions for Sweeney, Mrs. Lovett is blinded by her love, which causes her to make poor decisions, leading to the deaths of many people. Mrs. Lovett’s costume was designed first with practicality for the character in mind. As a working woman, she wouldn’t wear anything stylish or cumbersome. When researching
Victorian working-class women, I found an image of a lady with her sleeves rolled up and wearing an apron while she worked. The inspiration for her skirt came from a modern skirt made of a utilitarian fabric with angular style lines (see Appendix A, Plate 4).
The asymmetrical lines of the skirt reference the dichotomy between the perception of Mrs.
Lovett and her real personality (see Appendix B, Plate 2). In my original sketches, the skirt was intended to match the inspiration exactly, however after conversations with my mentor and the need for more pattern and texture in her costume, the skirt became a crude patchwork with pieces mimicking the angular feeling of the inspiration image. To continue the asymmetry, her blouse is high-necked with an asymmetrical yoke. In the beginning of
Act Two, Mrs. Lovett’s meat pie shop has become a respectable business. Because of the increase in her income, as well as her desire to keep up with appearances, she is wearing a new jacket (see Appendix B, Plate 3).
Anthony Hope
With its origins based in melodrama, many of the characters in Sweeney Todd are archetypal. Anthony represents the archetype of the young romantic hero. After returning to London from a voyage, he discovers his damsel in distress Johanna, and he vows to rescue.
Although he is not in the Navy, the image of a fresh-faced new recruit in sailor uniform became my inspiration for Anthony (see Appendix A, Plate 5). Using the iconic idea of a pea coat, modern touches such as zippers were added to give more interest. Anthony was designed wearing white fall-front sailor trousers to maintain a Victorian silhouette. Under his jacket he has a turtleneck sweater that would act as a wind breaker while on the ship, and a vest with a standing collar. To make reference to his character type, his hair is long, flowing, and unkempt (see Appendix B, Plate 4)
Johanna
Johanna represents the archetypal character of the damsel in distress. In addition to being
Anthony’s love interest, she is highly admired by several characters in the story; Sweeney is searching for her, Judge Turpin wants to marry her, and the Beggar Woman is mourning the loss of her. As a result of such esteem, she is placed on a pedestal and becomes more like an object than a person.
My original sketches for Johanna were based on a Victorian chemise and corset with ruffled tiers added to the skirt for visual interest; however the silhouette resembled a punkgoth clothing style, making her appear more edgy (see Appendix C, Plate 1). After conversations with the director, my inspiration for Johanna became a porcelain doll. Her dress was designed with a low cut boat neck, puffy cap sleeves, a high-necked lace dickie, and a knee length skirt with ruffles at the hem. In order to shift her image from a child to a blooming young woman, her corset is worn over her dress, giving her an hourglass figure
(see Appendix B, plate 5). For her transition into the asylum, her dickie and corset would be removed to reveal a shapeless frumpy sac dress, (see Appendix B, plate 6). Her third costume is a sailor disguise given to her by Anthony. After her escape from the asylum,
Anthony gives her a pair of pants as well as his coat and hat so she will not be recognized
(see Appendix B, plate 7) Judge Turpin
As a member of the aristocracy, Judge Turpin represents the ability of jealousy and power to corrupt those in positions of authority. He is also depictive of a quintessential melodramatic villain character. Turpin is a self-centered man who is cruel in his judgements, punishments, and politics. In addition to his corrupt morality, he is a devoted and even obsessive father to Johanna. However, even his devotion to her morphs into a perverted plan to marry the young girl and keep her for himself.
Judge Turpin’s costume needed to represent his wealth. The inspiration for his costume came from an Alexander McQueen suit from the 2009 collection McQueensberry
Rules (see Appendix A, Plate 6). The long suit jacket is reminiscent of a Victorian frock coat and works to elongate the torso and broaden the shoulders. To add opulence, his lapel, cuffs and top hat are trimmed in fur (see Appendix B, Plate 8).
Beadle Bamford
As Judge Turpin’s enforcer, Beadle Bamford’s presence is intimidating and commands fear.
With the friendship of the Judge, he has no fear of consequence for his actions, therefore, he is imbued with self-righteousness and acts above the law.
A Beadle in Victorian London was an official given the capacity to command the police, as well as an assistant to those in power. Beadles of the time wore very specific uniforms to be distinguished from other members of the upper class. Historically the Beadle wore a cape or long greatcoat and a bicorne hat, and carried a staff (see Appendix A, Plate 7). My inspiration for Beadle Bamford came from another Alexander McQueen image, again from the 2009 collection McQueensberry Rules, that reflected the uniform of a Victorian Beadle
(see Appendix A, Plate 8). The coat was paired with a sleek plaid suit and a stock collar that rode high on the neck. To make him appear more intimidating his costume was embellished with latch closures on his vest and chains to hold his coat in place. The hardware continued to the point of his shoe, with metal toe covers and to the metal ball on top of his cane (see
Appendix B, Plate 9).
Aldolfo Pirelli
Pirelli is a corrupt barber turned con man, who sells a phony elixir under the guise that it will make hair grow. He dresses in extravagant costumes to attract the attention of a crowd and look exotic, however his whole act is a sham. Pirelli reveals himself to Sweeney as Daniel O’Higgins, who worked for Todd before his incarceration. With the announcement of his true identity, Pirelli affirms suspicions that he is an opportunistic thief. To make some money, Pirelli blackmails Sweeney once he learns that he in Benjamin Barker. Because of his search for wealth, he becomes the first victim of Sweeney Todd.
Pirelli’s character is perceived as larger than life, therefore the inspiration for his costume comes from circus ring masters (see Appendix A, Plate 9). Pirelli is a character who spends hours putting together the perfect look to suit his false identity. His clothing is more of a costume than actual clothes. To reflect a ring master, he is wearing a striped tailcoat and high-waisted trousers. Originally, it was a matching striped suit; however, the boldness of the stripe overpowered the form of the body. The stripe on the pants were reduced to a pin stripe. His shirt is complete with lacy cuffs and a lace cravat. To top off his look, he has a top hat and heeled boots to give him a bigger stage presence (see Appendix B, Plate 10) Tobias Ragg
As a young boy who is treated very poorly, Toby’s honest, good-natured character helps to showcase the corruption displayed by other characters in the musical. Toby becomes a misunderstood and misused errand boy for both Pirelli and Mrs. Lovett. Through his unwavering commitment to protect Mrs. Lovett, Toby is eventually led to insanity. Toby represents the tragic corruption of youth.
Within the socio-economic world of the play, Toby is an orphaned street urchin. He does not have access to many fineries and his costume reflects that. Using the classic silhouette of young Victorian boys (see Appendix A, Plate 10), I added distressed patches to his clothes in order to emphasize his poor treatment. Toby’s tailcoat is meant to mimic
Pirelli’s silhouette, in the spirit of a sideshow barker. As a requirement of the script, he needed to have a wig that could be removed on stage for a gag. Because Toby is a young boy without many possessions, his wig is ratted and wild to imply that he does not take care of it. Likewise, his straw hat is deformed and has holes in it (see Appendix B, Plate 11)
The Beggar Woman/Lucy
When she first appears, the Beggar Woman is a mysterious character, who seems deranged and insane. As she has watched the corruption of Judge Turpin over the years, her mind has deteriorated. This is evident in her interactions with the other characters where her focus shifts abruptly from one thought to another. Once described as
“beautiful”, “soft”, and “naïve”, the harsh realities or the cruel world have hardened her and driven her to insanity. The imagery of a woman who was once beautiful, now decaying in both mind and appearance, became the inspiration for the Beggar Woman. An image of a bustle cage decayed so much that the bones were exposed (see Appendix A, Plate 11) and a deconstructed corset (see Appendix A, Plate 12) greatly influenced my visual aesthetic for her costume. The exposure of the under structure reminded me of the vulnerability of the
Beggar Woman. Her clothing, which she has held onto for many years, is now tattered and shredding. He skirt layers are ripped up to expose her bustle cage and her bodice is a corset that has long since lost its shape and purpose. She also wears items that she has gathered over the years from various sources, plus an oversized sweater and a shawl (see Appendix B,
Plate 12)
Rendering
After drawing and swatching the sketches, the process of rendering began. Because my drawing skills were lacking, adequate time was needed in order to produce effective renderings. My mentor helped to guide me in how to draw certain costume pieces as well as body proportions. I decided to draw on white paper because the set for the show was white. By doing this, the renderings were able to give a more accurate depiction of how they would look on stage. Once the drawings were completed, they were colored with marker to achieve a bold graphic look. To finish the renderings, I splattered red paint on the background, which displays the contrast that would be present on the set when the blood started to drip.
Production Process
In the production process, organization, paperwork and time management are key. When moving forward to this phase of the design, a budget as well as a build/buy/pull list were created in preparation. After talking through my designs as well as my projected build/buy/pull list with Stacey Galloway and my new costume design mentor, Steven Stines, we decided which garments we were able to build and which could to be purchased or pulled. An adjusted budget was created and sourcing began for both fabric and off-the-rack garments
Casting
Without a cast list and accurate measurements, sourcing can only go so far. After the first day of auditions, Prof. Mata and I had a conversation about the ensemble casting. In previous discussions, the number of ensemble members was set at 4 singers per vocal part.
An unfortunate miscalculation led me to believe the number of people to be 12, but in actuality there were 16. Tony informed me that he might need to add a few more people in order to get the sound he wanted to create, putting the ensemble at 17 or 18 members, which was 5 more people than had been accounted for in the budget. The cast list was posted with 17 members in the ensemble, which later dropped to 16. Although I was able to make adjustments in planning for extra people, the possibility of adding 6 more actors would have been irreconcilable with the budget for the show.
Shopping and Pulling
With a finalized cast list, I was able to start ordering costume pieces and fabric. Because of the transition to a new design professor, there was only one P-Card available for orders. By only having the ability to purchase orders on one card, the ordering process needed to be bought in stages, which slowed down the process. My first goal was to order shoes, so they could be sent into rehearsal. Five pairs of shoes were sourced for each character, however, with the great expense incurred by ordering that many shoes, Professor Galloway convinced me to get two pairs for each character. In order to keep costs on the Pcard low, costumes were ordered for three characters at a time. With great help from my assistant, Alison
Gensmer, we began looking through our stock for existing pieces that could be used for ensemble members.
Before making any fabric orders, Professor Galloway and I made a fabric shopping trip to our local Jo-Ann fabrics store. With the lack of selection for textural fabrics in a grey color scale scheme, most of the fabric needed to be sourced online. When sourcing fabric online, it became a challenge to find interesting textiles in my tight color palette. The biggest challenge was finding a sheer beige fabric with a textural stripe for Johanna. After weeks of searching and ordering swatches, the perfect fabric was found at Mood Fabrics in New York
City. By this point in the process, time for ordering was running out.
With fabric ordered late in the game, there was no room for error in the arrival. As fabric started coming in and projects began being built, it was noticed that we were missing the order from Mood and were informed that it might not ship in time. As time was running short, sourcing for backup fabrics, both online and locally, began. After we found replacements for some of the fabrics, Mood finally shipped out the order with 2 weeks to spare.
In the process of fitting garments that were purchased, I found that some of the items ordered did not fit correctly. Unfortunately, due to a lack of planning, back-up options were not ordered, therefore, more purchases needed to be made. With limited time to order new pieces and get them shipped in before tech week, the budget took a major hit for next day shipping. Fortunately all items arrived on time.
Wig Rentals
At the onset of the production process, we knew two wigs were needed; one for Sweeney and one for Johanna. Later it was determined that a matching wig and mutton chop set was needed for Pirelli. At the suggestion of Professor Stines, I looked into renting human hair wigs from Wig Boys for a three-week time span. After the wigs were ordered, a fourth wig was requested by the director for a male ensemble member. Each wig cost $106 to rent for a three-week time period and the additional wig was accounted for in the budget; however, with a hefty chunk of budget going towards wigs, I was very happy with the quality of the companies’ products.
Ensemble Fittings/Costumes
As previously mentioned, until this point the ensemble cast had been neglected. I was not happy with my rendering because the ensemble lacked dimension. With help from my assistant, Alison, we researched Victorian professions and assigned one to each member of the ensemble. By doing so, the ensemble became more cohesive into the world of the play.
Alison became an instrumental part of the ensemble costume designs, as she began creating outfits for each person using the clothing we had gathered from stock as well as miscellaneous shopping trips to thrift stores, TJ Maxx and Target.
The biggest challenge I faced during the process of designing Sweeney Todd was the ensemble fittings. Due to the fast-paced fittings, it was difficult to make clear and quick costume decisions. We began the fitting extravaganza with the female ensemble. Alison and I prepared each character with two costume options as well as extra pieces in case of fit issues, yet still I felt unprepared. As garments would not fit correctly, it was a struggle to pull other items that would work with the silhouettes being was created.
The male ensemble proved to be a greater challenge than the female. I believed that the male ensemble would be easier because there is not as much variety in men’s clothing.
However, since the variety is not there, it was difficult to create interesting and varied looks that fit in the style of the show. For the first day of male ensemble fittings, we did not have premade outfits; instead we tried to assemble outfits on the spot based on the desired silhouette. After a long day of unsuccessful fittings, the importance of creating outfits on the form prior to the fitting became clear. With much encouragement from Professor
Galloway, the fittings were finally finished. Overall, the ensemble became a cohesive look that fit into the world.
Production Meetings/Safety Check
In the final month of the production process, production meetings began. With things in the shop moving relatively smoothly, no issues needed to be worked out in the first few meetings. We discussed call times, microphones, and photo shoots. As the final meeting neared, however, we began having issues with actor safety. When the costumes were originally designed, the Beggar Woman’s costume always included an exposed bustle cage and a large open knit shawl. As construction of the barber chair was near completion, it came to my attention there was a possibility of the Beggar Woman’s shawl getting caught on the chair as she tried to slide down the chute. We held an emergency fight call meeting and safety check to send the Beggar Woman down the chair in a shawl. Although it seemed like she would make it, we decided it was still a safety issue and made some adjustments to the shawl so it was less likely to get caught. In addition to the shawl, there was worry that the Beggar Woman’s bustle cage would get caught on the apparatus that lowered the seat of the barber chair. We staged another safety call to check the costume. As suspected, the boning in the open cage was catching under the cushion, potentially causing harm to the actress. We tried to make adjustments to the way the actress sat or how the cage acted as she was put into the chair. In the end, an executive decision had to be made for the sake of the actress’s safety. The Beggar Woman needed to remove her bustle before she went down the chute.
In reflection of the process, any costume or set pieces that could affect the movement of an actor should be thoroughly discussed during the design process. When the idea of the Beggar Woman wearing a bustle cage came up in conversation with Prof. Mata, neither of us verbalized concerns about her losing the ability to sit. I was aware from the beginning of the design process that she needed to sit in the barber’s chair and slide down the chute. Although it was not proper to sit down in a bustle cage, the Beggar Woman would sit on her cage to emphasize her lack of proper social behaviour. I was not aware of how the barber chair was being constructed and did not know the cage would catch. Unfortunately, I felt that removing the cage took away much of the intent behind her costume, however, the lighting during the scene was so dark that the detail of the cage was not missed for the one scene.
Distressing
For me, distressing the costumes took the most time in the process. Originally two weeks of distressing were planned, however, as the process moved forward the work in the shop fell behind, leaving just one week for distressing. For a cast of twenty-six, all wearing three to four pieces that needed to be distressed, one week for distressing time was a tight schedule to keep. With assistance from B.F.A Amber Chandler and the Beginning Costume lab students, distressing on the ensemble began. Distressing could not begin on the principal cast’s clothing, as many of the costumes were still being built.
Considering the production was performing in the Constans Theatre, the distressing needed to be drastic to read on stage. There was not enough time to layer the distressing as would be the preferred method. The distressing process started with physical distressing; lab students armed with cheese graters and sandpaper began hacking away at collars, hems, cuff, and knees. When something was finished being physically distressed it would come to
Amber or me for painting. After experimenting with painting processes, I decided to use stylized rather than realistic distressing. By using only black and white paints to distress, the costumes took on a graphic nature. By dress rehearsals all the costumes were at least partially distressed.
Dress Rehearsals
After months of preparation and hard work, my favorite part of the design process approached: first dress. This is the first opportunity to see the vision realized onstage and for me it is always the most exciting part of designing. The afternoon before rehearsal was spent refining and making sure nothing was overlooked. Hair inspiration sheets were made for the ensemble, make-up charts copied and the list of all the costumes in the show, the pieces list, was checked over. When the curtain rose I began to meticulously look at the costumes and dictate notes to my assistant. There were a few small notes from first dress; things like hems, hairstyles, closures, quick changes and a few actor notes. After the show, the design and production teams met with the director for tech table notes. Prof Mata’s one note for me was he wanted more distressing on Sweeney’s vest.
The morning after first dress, touch up work on distressing began. The few shop notes were taken care of quickly and as much distressing was complete as possible, leaving time for it to dry. Second dress rehearsal finished with similar results and the same note from
Tony about distressing. He also felt that the straps on Sweeney’s vest were not prominent enough. Because the vest was made from a faux leather, it had more of a shine than it would if it were real leather. The slightly glossy look to the vest made it difficult to read from stage as distressed.
Going into third dress I was feeling great about the completion of the show. In the morning we continued by reworking things here and there and adding little details. I added shadowing under the straps on Sweeney’s vest as well as eyelets across the straps to make them more prominent. To achieve a more distressed look, the glossy coat was sanded off and new paint was applied to simulate old leather. After final dress ended we were ready for opening night.
Conclusion
Being able to design my favorite musical, Sweeney Todd, was a great experience for me and I loved every minute of it. As I worked through the process, I fell in love with the characters and began seeing them differently than I had previously. In working on this design, I pushed myself into a world of patterns and textures that I have not previously explored. In retrospect, there are many things I could have done before the production process began, and throughout the process as well, that would have made it run smoother for the shop. Time management and organization skills are two things I have always lacked and both were tested greatly in this process.
Many aspects of this process have made me a better, more confident designer. In past productions I have been shy about making big, bold fabric choices or character choices, in favor of a more conservative approach. In forcing me to use pattern and texture rather than color, this project expanded my abilities. All in all, I feel as though my design aesthetic and rendering skills grew from this experience.
In addition to strengthening my aesthetics, this project also gave me the opportunity to face my faults. With better time management we could have had this show finished long before dress rehearsal. Many split second decisions that were made could have been made earlier in the production process. Every step of the process takes longer than one expects; therefore, it is always better to leave room for revision. My organization, or lack thereof, also contributed to delays in the shop. If it were not for my fabulous and very wellorganized assistant Alison, finishing the show would have been an even greater struggle for me.
Knowing my weakness in organization helped me to make better decisions as well as make better use of manpower available to me. By passing off some of the creative decisions of the ensemble to Alison and the make-up designs to Alyssa, I was able to focus on creating a cohesive look. Had I been more organized in my sourcing at the beginning of the process, many of the issues that arose would not have happened. With better organization, I could have saved myself a lot of stress in ensemble fittings.
Although this challenged me, I am proud of the way I handled it. I am very happy with the show as a whole, how well it came together, and how close it is to my original conceptions. In this process I matured as a designer. My major goal in this project was to be able to walk away being satisfied with where the show ended up and I accomplished that.
Bibliography
Eder, Richard. "Stage: Introducing 'Sweeney Todd'" New York Times on the Web. N.p., 2 Mar. 1979. Web. "Penny Dreadful from True Crime to Fiction." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. "Sondheim Guide / Sweeney Todd." Sondheim Guide / Sweeney Todd. Ed. Michael H. Hutchins.
N.p., n.d. Web.
Research photos
"6 Mind-Blowing Ways to Wear Your Steampunk Goggles." Steampunk RD RSS. N.p., n.d. Web.
"Alexander McQueen Fall 2009 Menswear." NYMag.com. New York Magazine, n.d. Web.
Duncan, Lois, and Joseph Janney Steinmetz. The Circus Comes Home: When the Greatest Show on
Earth Rode the Rails. New York, NY: Doubleday Book for Young Readers, 1993. Print.
Smith, Robert. "The Magic Of Harry Houdini's Staying Power." NPR. NPR, 30 Oct. 2010. Web.
Thompson, E. P. The Making of the English Working Class. New York: Pantheon, 1964. Print.
Uttridge, Sarah. Military Uniforms Visual Encyclopedia. London: Amber, 2011. Print.
"Victotianstreet Lifein London." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, n.d. Web.
Appendices
Appendix A: Research
Plate 1, Steampunk
Plate 2, Sweeney strait jacket research
Plate 3, Victorian barber
Plate 4, Mrs. Lovett skirt inspiration
Plate 5, Victorian sailor research
Plate 6, McQueensberry rules collection 2009, inspiration for Judge Turpin
Plate 7, Victorian Beadle
Plate 8, McQueensberry rules collection 2009, Beadle inspiration
Plate 9, Ringmaster inspiration for Pirelli
Plate 10, Victorian Street urchins, research for Toby
Plate 11, Decaying Bustle Cage, Inspiration for the Beggar Woman
Plate 12, Deconstructed Corset, Inspiration for the Beggar Woma Appendix B: Renderings
Plate 1, Sweeney Todd
Plate 2, Mrs. Lovett Act 1
Plate 3, Mrs. Lovett Act 2
Plate 4, Anthony
Plate 5, Johanna Act 1
Plate 6, Johanna at Fogg’s Asylum
Plate 7, Johanna in disguise
Plate 8, Judge Turpin
Plate 9, Beadle Bamford
Plate 10, Pirelli
Plate 11, Toby
Plate 12, The Beggar Woman
Plate 13, Ensemble
Appendix C: Sketches
Plate 1, Johanna rough sketch
Plate 2, Anthony rough sketch
Plate 3, Beadle Bamford rough sketch
Plate 4, Beggar Woman rough sketch
Plate 5, Mrs. Lovett rough sketch
Plate 6, Pirelli rough sketch
Plate 7, Toby rough sketch
Appendix D: Production Photos
Plate 1, Sweeney (David Leppert) and Mrs. Lovett (Yael Reich) “My Friends” Photo credit: Suzanna Mars
Plate 2, Anthony (Daniel Womack) “Johanna” Photo credit: Suzanna Mars
Plate 3, Johanna (Brooke Heffernan) “Green Finch and Linnet Bird” Photo credit: Suzanna Mars
Plate 4, Pirelli (Tony Lupi) “The Contest” Photo credit: Suzanna Mars
Plate 5, Judge Turpin (Matt Ruff) and Beadle Bamford (Dean Thomason) Photo credit: Suzanna Mars
Plate 6, Mrs. Lovett (Yael Reich) and Toby (Chaz May) “Not While I’m Around” Photo credit: Suzanna Mars
Plate 7, The Beggar Woman (Emily Lewis) Photo credit: Suzanna Mars
Plate 8, Lunatic ensemble, Jonas Fogg (Thomas Nightingale) and Anthony (Daniel Womack) Photo credit: Suzanna Mars
Plate 9, Ensemble Photo credit: Suzanna Mars
Plate 10, Cast Photo credit: Suzanna Mars
Plate 11, Johanna (Brooke Heffernan), Anthony (Daniel Womack), Mrs. Lovett (Yael Reich), Sweeney Todd (David Leppert), Toby (Chaz May), the Beggar Woman (Emily Lewis) Photo credit: Suzanna Mars
Biographical Sketch
Janae Lafleur is a student at the University of Florida and will receive a Masters of
Fine Arts in Costume Design and Technology. While attending the University of Florida,
Janae designed costumes for Blood Wedding, Miss. Witherspoon, and Sweeney Todd. All three productions were nominated by The Kennedy Center’s American College Theatre
Festival to compete at a regional level, where she was awarded second place in Costume
Design for her work on Sweeney Todd.
Janae received her BFA in Technical Theatre concentrating in Costume at Jacksonville
University in 2012, where she designed costumes for Little Women, 39 Steps, All in the
Timing, and a film titled In One Brow of Woe. She also designed costumes for The Wedding
Singer and I.S.S at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater Florida.
Janae has a lot of interest in incorporating new technology into her work. In 2015 at the
National USITT conference, she presented her work on 3D printing corsets.