Lady Capulets sulking
During the last year of Scenography at NABA in Milan, for the Set Technque II course, we were asked to build an articulated puppet of about 1 meter in height, complete with dress and accessories, with wires for arms and legs. It was - for each of us - to reproduce a character taken from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It was my turn to realize Juliet's mother, Lady Capulet.
Our professor had prepared a template for the bust, we had to obtain the shape from a thin wooden board, on which we had to apply layers of foam (expanded polyethylene) to obtain the curves of the body. The same thing was done for the neck, legs and arms. It was not important to obtain perfect shapes because the puppet had to be accompanied by a complete dress (in my case, long to the feet). The only visible parts would have been his face and hands.
Work steps
“With what materials did you build the various parts? How did you make the medieval dress and the headdress? "
After making the rough structure of the puppet, I had two rather challenging things left to make: Lady Capulet's face and hands as well as her elaborate dress with headdress. As for the former, I was advised to use wood pulp rather than other modeling pastes (such as Das) because once dry it remains very very light. Considering that the puppet was to be held raised with one hand while the second was in charge of moving the limbs, the weight factor was not irrelevant. The head made with Das, for example, would have been too heavy.
Wood pulp paste
Not long ago, I don't even remember what crazy idea I had whipped into my head, I tried to buy this modeling clay again, without success. Has it maybe gone out of stock for good?! Let's say that from what I remember it was not easy to work it, as it is for example plasticine or clay. It is rather fibrous, it is not as smooth and soft as other pastes. It also dries very quickly, leaving many inaccuracies on the surface. Naturally, it can be sanded with sandpaper, with a lot of patience and not always with excellent results. The real benefit of using it, as already mentioned, is that it remains very light and does not crack.
Why that threatening look?
“How come you 'stuck' that stern look on her face? Is such an exaggerated make-up a desired effect or did you overdo it with blush? "
Let's start from the expression on her face: in my imagination she was a very severe and unshakable mother, like the rest of the family, both of Juliet and Romeo. An affectionate and understanding mother would have done everything possible to save her daughter from the tragedy, would have mediated, would have convinced the austere husband to allow their child to love whoever she wanted. Oh no, I really had to sew on her the look of a cold, rigid, imperious lady of the nobility. The slightly excessive make-up is actually wanted by the world of theater. Unlike the Cinema, where filming often takes place up close and the make-up must be accurate, precise and very very balanced, on the stage the make-up must first and foremost be VISIBLE, even from the back rows.
The challenge with the medieval outfit
"Did you encounter any difficulties in making the dress and headdress?"
If we consider that at the time my experience with needle and thread was limited to roughly putting a fallen button back in its place, having also never touched a sewing machine in my life, yes, the making of a dress and headgear scared me a lot. I didn't want to cheat though, it was essential for me not to use hot glue or fabric glue or other tricks, I wanted to make the sewn dress and dress the Lady before hanging her on the stand. Not having any kind of experience in this regard, I asked for help to my wonderful friend Elisa, who at the time was attending the school of Fashion Design, also in the same Academy. She was - as always - a star. Very willing to help me, but also very inclined to teaching, she told me: "I'll explain everything, piece by piece, but you will sit at the sewing machine!" And so it was. She explained to me how to draw the pattern, how to join the various parts, how to apply the various ribbons and laces, the stones, how to baste and finally, with trembling hands, she made me sit at her sewing machine, which she brought all the afternoons to my house. Without her I would have never made it. And to be honest, I don't think I could do it again today! Thank you, Elisa, many years have passed but you are always in my heart.
It should have looked like a greeting. In truth, it looks like a not very polite gesture that certainly a noblewoman of the '500 would have never dared to do! ;-)
