Q&A with Costume Designer, Georgia Evans

How did you approach the design for this production?

I had to read the play several times and quiz Emma on how she viewed each character. Early on in my research, I asked friends on instagram to send me photos of their Irish grandparents, and had several send me some fantastic time stamped photos of 60s dance clothes. I had to balance trying to get accurate with these images to the specific needs of the play which is quite surreal in many ways.  

What unique opportunities and challenges did this play present for you as costume designer?

This was my first time designing costumes for a group of actors who were not around my age, which meant I had to take account for their bodies in a different way. Even considering the types of stores I bought clothes from for the show was different due to the ages of the characters. The trickiest part being thinking of ways to make Clara and Breda’s costumes look like they had fit them at 17 & 18 but still make them comfortable to wear onstage in the production. We tried a couple of options, but ultimately I’m happy with the looks that came out.

Each costume piece has its own story and journey. And for this show in particular. Can you share a bit about the considerations that went into one (specific) costume piece in the production as an example?

Elizabeth, my lovely assistant, embroidered a fish detail into Breda’s apron at my request. At first I had thought of the apron for Clara, because as you may notice she talks about baking throughout the play, but at the end it is revealed in Breda’s dialogue that she is the one who actually does the baking. Fish is a theme throughout the play, almost haunting the characters, with the absurd amount of fish Patsy brings the women and the discussion of the boy in town who could only say “yes, no, and fish.” I liked the idea that fish would also be showing up in the art they put on themselves, almost as if Clara had subconsciously embroidered fish onto her sister’s apron.

What was most exciting or meaningful to you in working on this production?

Emma is a dear friend of me and my mom and someone I look up to as a theatre artist. It was so exciting to work with her on a production for the first time and hopefully not the last.