Greek Theater History Costumes

At the peak of its perfection in the fifth century B.C., the glory of classical Greek drama was matched by the magnificence of its costumes. This work describes how performers were dressed in plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, and explains how the actors' performances influenced the cut of their costumes. 53 black-and-white illustrations.

One way of creating a theatrical costume is called flat patterning. This is when a costume designer uses a pattern made to the wearer's measurements to cut out and sew together a costume. In many cases flat patterning is the more appropriate method for creating a period costume - skirts, pants, and sleeves, for example. However, working in two-dimensions often does not translate correctly onto a three-dimensional dress form or person. Often a designer will need to tweak style lines on a garment ... [Read More]

A haunting, sumptuous period thriller, The Miniaturist tells the story of a house where, beneath the lavish beauty and privilege, lie forbidden passions and dangerous secrets. Based on the popular novel by Jessie Burton, this three-part film stars Romola Garai, Alex Hassell, Hayley Squires, Paapa Essiedu, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Nella.

The core of the book focuses on tragic costume in its original performance context of fifth-century Athens, but the implications of subsequent uses in Roman and more recent performances are also taken into consideration.Most importantly, the reader is invited to think about how tragic costume worked as a language in ancient performance and was manipulated physically and verbally in order to create meaning. Elements of this language are shown through a series of test cases from a range of ancient... [Read More]

The Nick Hern Books Page to Stage series – highly accessible guides to the world's best-known plays, written by established theatre professionals to show how the plays come to life on the stage.Director Stephen Unwin takes you scene by scene through the action of Ibsen's play A Doll's House, analysing moment by moment what is actually said and done, and how the staging of these moments affects our understanding of them.Also included in this volume: a concise introduction to Ibsen and the histo... [Read More]

The attire of the feudal lords and ladies of old Japan, warriors, priest, courtesans, Edo-period dandies geisha, footmen, farmers— in fact, the whole array of Kabuki's colorful characters-is discussed in fascinating detail in this Japanese Kabuki book.From kimono and armor to undergarments, from wigs to foot gear, from swords to hair garments—no aspect of costume accessories is overlooked. Textiles and textile designs, in all their profusion of weaves, colors, and patterns, are carefully taken... [Read More]

This book offers an interpretation of the handling of costume in the plays of the fifth-century comic poet Aristophanes. Drawing on both textual and material evidence from the fourth- and fifth-century Greek world, it examines three layers of costume: the bodysuit worn by the actors, the characters' clothes, and the additional layering of disguise. A chapter is also devoted to the inventive costumes of the comic chorus. Going beyond describing what costumes looked like, the book focuses instead ... [Read More]

Costume production distinguishes early civilization from the Paleolithic era as much as architectural production. Costume transcends boundaries, as it first unites and then divides mankind. The mode of dress differentiates friend from foe and peasant from prince. Changes in the appearance and types of garments through the ages are a significant indicator of social, economic and chronological changes. This annotated bibliography of 603 references, taken from monographs, dissertations, festschrift... [Read More]

The Nick Hern Books Page to Stage series – highly accessible guides to the world's best-known plays, written by established theatre professionals to show how the plays come to life on the stage.Actor Michael Pennington conducts us scene by scene through the action of Chekhov's Three Sisters, analysing moment by moment what is actually said and done, and how the staging of these moments affects our understanding of them.Also included in this volume: a concise introduction to Chekhov and the his... [Read More]

Kabuki A Pocket Guide introduces readers to the foundations of Kabuki—its history and its actors, its acting styles and its performance, its color and music—to the sheer beauty and joy of Kabuki.Kabuki, the popular theatre of Japan, began in about 1603 and is still flourishing today. It was the entertainment of the common people as opposed to Noh, the refined theatre of the aristocracy, and is a close relative of the Bunraku puppet theater. All the actors in Kabuki, even those who play femal... [Read More]