The Boys From Syracuse

Rodgers and Hart

Rodgers and Hart’s The Boys From Syracuse is a lively musical based on Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. We created a hot, Mediterranean atmosphere reminiscent of a 1940′s holiday destination with a touch of the Cotton Club. David Bell, the director, wanted there to be an almost-Disney quality to our interpretation of the era, recalling the vivacious, colourful energy of swing.

With scenery, costumes and light, my collaborators and I created an ostentatiously affluent city of Ephesus coloured in saturated jewel tones with accents of gold. This created a strong contrast to the strangers from Syracuse who enter in soft, creamy linens. The boys are quickly identified and are fitted by the tailor whom, misidentifying them for their twins, suits them in outfits of the same cut but in contrasting colours and patterns to their brothers.

With the female ensemble, David Bell and I tried to capture the frenetic movement of the era allowing for great sweeping gestures across the stage. For the courtesans we built their dresses with a standard pattern, altering the neckline, straps, colour, pattern and drape to correspond with each lady’s individual sexuality. It was important to David Bell that the courtesans maintain a jubilant, almost innocent air.

Outside of this are our leading ladies. Adrianna, as a character who primarily sings, commands the space with her voice and strong physical presence. Therefore, I dressed her in flowy pants with graphic stripes and a sensuous kimono-like robe whose fabric had the languid quality of period beachwear. In her most va-va-voom moments, she sultrily caught the audiences eye in an extraordinarily voluminous sun hat. Her shy sister, Luciana, wore a dress that held against her body in a more somber aubergine. It isn’t until she dances with her newly-found love that we see the full volume of her dress as it fans out around her while she twirls.