In the world of theatre, the character’s clothes sends signals to the audience. These stage costumes communicate and informs them about their role - regarding its sex, occupation, and personality. This has the power to create a story that can direct the flow of a play.
Wearing costumes in theatre performances has an impact on the growing sewing factory industry in Singapore. That is why the demand for custom-made costumes also grew. Here are some of the important factors of wearing costumes in theatre plays.
Establishes the tone and style of a production
Besides the script, costumes can define the atmosphere of the play. It will help the audience interpret the mood to understand what the story could be about. Having costumes contributes to the setting of the play, therefore creates this illusion that these characters live in a different place and time.
Indicate the time and place of the story
Dresses with an empire waist in light-colored fabrics can indicate that the story is set in the early 18th century. This is a subtle way to tell whether the story is fictional or non-fictional depending on the combination of the stage design and costume. Whereas, futuristic stories may require an exaggeration in the characters’ costumes and they have to make a custom-made one to project what the future might be like for humans.
Show the relationship of characters
Costumes provide the audience with what type of relationship they have with other characters. This is as simple as matching them using similar colors to let the audience know that they are lovers. Another would be ordinary townspeople who would be wearing brown, grey, or beige as to not attract attention to the main characters. Sometimes, to indicate police officers, the custom uniform used by Singapore officials could be duplicated.
Allows freedom of movement for actors
Not all sizes are the same for costumes. You cannot look for a person who has the same size as Cleopatra. These costumes are made to be functional, meaning they should allow the actor move freely when they wear their assigned costume. Therefore, the costume designer should work closely with the actors to measure their size to pair their costumes accordingly.
Contributes to the visual appeal of the play
Creating a coordinated visual effect is the challenge for a play director because the concept of the play should not be compromised. Costume designers could help create the set as accurate and at the same time appealing as possible. This would require them to look for a trusted sewing factory to collaborate with their production needs.
The creation of a play cannot be done overnight, it is a long process of preparing and making the story come to life. When you are familiar with the hardships people behind a theatrical play go through, then you would understand the importance of collaborating with a reliable seamstress to help with costume-making. You will be in good hands with INT Supply in Singapore to help with custom-made costumes. Contact them through their website at https://www.intsupply.com.sg/
