COSTUMES MAKE THE CHARACTER

Humorist Mark Twain once remarked that “Naked people have little or no influence on society,” which is how he came up with his oft repeated line: “Clothes make the (wo)man.” The four women in The Revolutionists are undeniably intent on influencing their French society, which is why what they wear on stage sends an important message to the audience about who they are and what they stand for.

It’s the costume designer, along with the wig designer, who is charged with creating this nonverbal communication that complements the actors’ words and actions.

The designer’s job starts with conversations with the director to get a sense of what they want to say about the play, including “their slant, their sense of aesthetics, colors, character analysis…,” says Sonya Berlovitz, who has designed the costumes for more than 50 productions during her career, starting with plays and operas for the former Theatre de la Jeune Lune.

Once the two are on the same script, Sonya refers to her research on the period and the characters, who in this case are based on actual people. The play’s four main characters have varying economic levels, she says, and color is one way to suggest “a mood that’s symbolic of a quality” they possess. For instance, red, white, and blue are prominent to signify the French Revolution and are referenced in the costumes of Charlotte Corday and Marianne Angelle, while Marie Antoinette is elegantly dressed in pink and apricot, and Olympe de Gouges wears a green leather jacket and a vest with the wording of the playwright’s Declaration of the Rights of Women written on it.

Hairstyles, hats and headwraps also offer a window into who a character is.

“Audience members may not say, ‘You know, that wig made the show,’” says Bee Tremmel, who is designing three wigs for the production (Marianne is wearing a head wrap with wisps of hair sewn in). But if the wig doesn’t fit the head or the character, it can be a disconnect that audiences sense but may not always be able to put their finger on.

Costumes need to fit just right, so the actor is free to strut and fret onstage unencumbered, just as wigs have to be balanced so they’re not too heavy, too hot or too wonky. Which is why Marie Antoinette won’t be wearing the sky-high updo that turns up in her Google searches.

Period pieces often incorporate a nod to the present taste in fashion, both designers say, because what was deemed attractive in the 1700s, or even early 2000s, isn’t always seen as flattering to a modern audience.

Bee, who is a performer as well as a hairstylist/wig designer, started with human hair wigs which were hand colored and cut. They then worked from a detailed sketch Sonya provided of the characters’ costumes. “My boss is always the costume designer,” Bee says.

Wigs and costumes for the understudy also are on the designers’ to-do list. “It’s a nice perk when the actor and understudy are close to the same size,” Sonya says. For Bee, the texture and length of both the actor’s and understudy’s hair have to be taken into consideration, as well as facial structure. For instance, Bee explains, they once designed a wig with a chin-length bob, only to discover that the actor and the understudy had different chin lengths.

Wigs are an affordable luxury, Bee points out. A good wig ensures a consistent look night after night, but also saves the actor’s own hair, plus time sitting in the makeup chair before each production.

Wigs and costumes aren’t only for the audience’s experience, Bee and Sonya agree. Donning the costume and the wig completes the transformation in their minds from an actor in 2023 to queen, spy, assassin, and playwright from several lifetimes ago.