Costumes - Pauline Chamberlain

Costumes – Pauline

For Pauline, a production begins long before anyone puts on a costume.

She starts with the script.

Before rehearsals have really got underway, Pauline will already be reading through it, thinking about the characters, the period, the style of the production and what each person might wear.

Then comes the read-through — often with Pauline and Lynda sitting together as ideas begin to form.

A look can apparently be enough!

Ideas are discussed, changed, developed and occasionally abandoned altogether as they work out what will suit the director's vision — and what can realistically be achieved within the show's budget.

Pauline joined CAST after moving to Colnbrook and, by her own admission, being a little bored and looking for something to do.

But she wasn't completely new to backstage life. She had previously helped with the Walthamstow East London Gang Show through the Scouts, after her 11-year-old son became involved.

At CAST, Pauline became part of the team responsible for one of the most visible parts of any production: costume.

She works closely with directors and producers to understand what they want, often coming up with three or four possible costume ideas and then discussing what can — and sometimes what simply cannot — be achieved with the available budget.

Sometimes inspiration comes from research. Sometimes from the script.

And sometimes, Pauline says, the ideas just come to her.

From finding and adapting existing costumes to creating a complete look for a character, Pauline helps ensure that when the curtain opens, our performers don't simply look like members of CAST anymore.

They look like the characters they have become.