Tag: behind the scenes

Moth Man: Photos

On By elliepitkinIn Showcase AwardLeave a comment

Moth Man by Nicole Locke – 2017 Showcase Award Winner

Thursday 8th March 2018, 7.30pm

Old Red Lion Theatre

 

Photos by Saahil Dossani

Black Shuck: Making the Set

On By elliepitkinIn Black ShuckLeave a comment

Our delightful Designer for Black Shuck, Michelle Bristow, gives us a glimpse into the world of set building – you can come and see the set in situ, 11-19 May 2016 – book your tickets now!

Twitter header Black Shuck

We started out by mitre-ing (real word?) some of the timber so that we could make the structure for the bracing. It was hard!

The next part of the support structure, drilling the main upright piece to the bottom support piece.

Bracing pieces completed!

Laying out the pieces ready to have the holes drilled in to mark where the screws go, in order to be flat packed into my car and assembled at the venue.

Marking out the holes and numbering them, so its easy to match up the pieces at the get in.

Jacobean woodstain was the perfect colour, heres the groyne after two coats – 

The fun (and messy) part – painting! All ready for assembly next week. 

How to make…a smoking jacket!

On By elliepitkinIn Halloween Tales, TheatreLeave a comment

Michelle Bristow, our talented Set & Costume designer for Halloween Tales has done a wee photo blog of one of the makes – a smoking jacket.  To see it in action 30th Oct-1st Nov, buy a ticket!



  • 1



  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  1. I took the pattern off a single breasted blazer ready to adapt (Yes this is Christmas paper, if you buy it in the sales – much cheaper than pattern paper!) .
  2. As the jacket was single breasted, I had to extend out the front panels to make it double breasted and I sharpened off the corners instead of them being rounded.
  3. Just about to cut out the lining.
  4. Cutting out the lining. I then used these pieces to cut out the top fabric, then I know I’ve got exactly the same seam allowance on all pieces.
  5. This fabric is on the fold so for every piece you see here, there are two in top fabric and two in lining.
  6. Cutting out (feat. my horrible living room carpet)
  7. After cutting out the wadding and matching the pieces, I began quilting the lining. Quilting all the pieces took the best part of three days.
  8. Measuring 2 inch squares as I went along. Halfway through the quilting I felt like it was never going to end, but I’m glad I persisted as the outcome is great and it looks much more extravagant and full.
  9. I was naughty and didn’t take any photos at the fitting but I went with all the pieces safety pinned together, as two people have to wear this jacket it needs to fit both of them, so I didn’t stitch until I’d rearranged all my pins (yes, all of them!).
  10. After I had stitched the seams I trimmed the seam allowance with pinking shears so it would lay flatter and be more neat.
  11. Top fabric sneak preview! I then stitched the collar on, as I fitted the jacket without it.
  12. Top fabric sneak preview! Although inside out, the jacket was beginning to take shape at this point, as we can see how the collar and lapels will lay.
  13. Sleeves in, I was really happy with these because they went in perfect first time, and I’m usually a bit of a sleeve faffer (always fun when you put them in inside out but don’t notice for a while)!
  14. Up until this point the lining and top layer have been separate, so here is me joining them together.
  15. Starting to look more like a jacket here, only the hem, cuffs and decor to do.
  16. Working out how big to make the cuffs based on measurements and markings I made from the fitting.
  17. Cuffs ready to have decoration added to them.
  18. Sewing buttons on the front. A few more decoration details to be added, and the rest will be revealed at Halloween Tales!