The Electric - Costume design
Written by Vickie Donoghue, the Electric is inspired by Electra (Sophocles) and set in modern day Essex. I was the costume designer for the show's premier performance in Cardiff, March 2021.
Show Photos
Designs
After analysing the text and thoroughly researching, I had several rounds of mood boards, rough sketches and meetings with the director. My final designs (before we began sourcing) combined a drawing, mood board and short character bio (bio re-worked from the one given by the writer).
Images from initial mood board catered to first draft of script.
We looked at Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel show drawing inspiration from Ancient Greece, as a way to link the Greek inspiration in the writing.
Sasha is the main character of the play; the youngest daughter, she is outspoken with high morals and strong political opinions that pit her against her family. Her motivators are grief and a desire for revenge for the death of her father.
Joe is the older brother of Sasha, damaged from his upbringing he has a darkness within that is dangerous and deadly. Estranged from his real family as he was put into care when he was two, he hasn't had any contact with them but knows who they are. He is bitter and jealous about what he could have had and resents that he was basically abandoned. He wants answers and he wants what he believes is rightfully his. He considers Den his real family.
Best Friend of Sasha, Daisy is light hearted and keenly protective of Sasha but doesn't approve of her resentment and desire for revenge.
Den met Joe in the care system, he did stay in contact with his family and sympathises with Joe's feelings. Having done time in young offenders for stealing cars he is now very street-wise. He would do most anything for Joe and sees him as a brother.
Chanel is Sasha's older sister. She is much more materialistic, she enjoys the comfortable life and won't risk loosing it.
Twin sister of Charlie, Alexa is Sasha's half sibling. Sent to boarding school at five she feels no connection to her 'home town'. Incredibly well educated and practical but a little spoilt.
Charlie is twin brother to Alexa, also having gone away to boarding school, he now actively resents his Essex roots. Despite coming across as a huge snob, he is incredibly protective of his twin and parents.
Andy is a relatively new cop, called to the scene on his way home to find Sasha (who he thinks is about to jump off the pier). Out of breath and scattered by having run the length of said pier.
The unusual aspect of this project was that the script was being re-drafted while I was designing and as such I had to change my designs to meet the new draft. This did however mean that I got an extra insight into the characters and the process that went into developing them; this came in handy when I held my meetings with the actors (something I like to do in every project I design for if it's possible) to discuss any concerns they had, make sure I could make them as comfortable as possible and give us a designated time to discuss their character and costume in more depth. I actually had one of my actors comment during one of these meetings that it helped them get to know their character as I had been working on them for longer.