Meet the volunteer costume designers at York Theatre Royal working on adaptation of the novel Sovereign

Hazel Fall, Head of Wardrobe and Design, explains planning and preparation began last year for ‘Sovereign’ – based on C J Sansom’s acclaimed Tudor-set novel.

“We started in November although we started planning for it six months before that,” she says.

The volunteers, ranging in ages from 18 upwards, are recruited through call outs.

There are currently 74 volunteers – all with a mixed level of skill and ability. Some come to the weekly sessions with no previous sewing experience, while others are busy passing on skills they learned in childhood which led to a professional career.

Retired seamstress, Catherine Sotheran, worked in alterations and repairs in a sewing career that has spanned 30 years. Her mum was a dressmaker and she recalls her early productions were creating rag dolls at primary school. Her first job was in a trouser factory. She also made pram covers and aprons for Silver Cross, and repaired sleeping bags and tents for the Ministry of Defence. Her introduction to York Theatre Royal came in 2016.

“I volunteered for the Mystery Plays in 2016 when they advertised for volunteers to make costumes. From that we set up a little sewing group to help the costume hire maintaining costumes. It’s nice to be able to use my skills and meet different people. I feel as though I am doing something useful and productive.”

Catherine, who was busy pressing some stiffening fabric for the bloomers which will form part of the Horse costumes when we met, also finds satisfaction seeing costumes she has helped to create clothing the characters on stage.

Tasked with creating the four animal heads, including a bear, for the outdoor production are Scarborough-based Animated Objects Theatre Company.

Lee Threadgold, the company’s Artistic Director, explains they worked with YTR’s Head of Production, Denzil Hebditch and designer, Dawn Allsopp, when creating the mechanised heads to ensure ease of handling and operation, and to create the illusion and scale of the animal.

The collection, which took over a month to complete, includes two King’s horses, a more muscular Shire horse, complete with tack, and a bear.

For Lee YTR is familiar territory. “I have worked on a number of different projects with them. I used to be in the outreach team at YTR. I’m familiar with the space and it’s lovely to be working with them again.

“Both myself and my wife Dawn Dyson-Threadgold came from a rep theatre background before we started running our own company. Our heart has always been within community theatre so Sovereign is right up our street. It is everything we are passionate about.”

When we met the Stitchers had completed costumes for the ensemble along with 45 shirts and blouses, 10 trunk hose and breeches, 12 skirts, 26 corsets, 25 doublets, 12 bags, six belts, six aprons, 46 hats and 48 bum rolls. Hazel describes the bum rolls as a ‘padded shelf’ designed to accentuate the fertile form of the human body such as the hips.

While Queen Catherine’s costume is being made in the workshop, King Henry VIII’s costume is being made off-site by a freelance costume maker. Other costumes are being hired from the Royal Shakespeare Company and York Theatre Royal.

This is the third big scale production Hazel has worked on since joining York Theatre Royal eight years ago. Before that she worked for Disney in Florida and has also toured internationally with theatre companies. As well as leading the team, Hazel’s role involves reading the draft script and researching the era ensuring the costumes reflect the period of time in which the production is set.

“Everybody comes from different backgrounds. We have had a few people who have never sewn before – we are mostly women but we have four men,” says Hazel. Among them is YTR’s Finance and Payroll Assistant, Matt Reynolds.

“Working with wardrobe has been a blast. The volunteers that have done it before are so welcoming and encouraging,” says Matt, who also praises ‘fantastic teachers’ Janet and Chloe.

Deputy Wardrobe Supervisor, Janet Hull, is tasked with pattern maker on the production. “I have always sewn since I was a child,” she says.

Janet’s career began altering and repairing costumes for a local acting school. She completed a fashion course at college where she learned pattern cutting skills and now works as a freelance costume maker. Previous productions include helping to make costumes for Disney’s Frozen, the musical, in the West End. Janet has also created costumes for YTR’s famous pantomime dame, Berwick Kaler.

“The greatest satisfaction you get out of this is passing your skills on, meeting some lovely people and seeing them just enjoying each other’s company,” says Janet, referring to the Sovereign Stitchers.

Senior wardrobe assistant, Chloe Moore, has worked in costumes for six years and has experience in TV and theatre.

“It is doing something that is meaningful to individuals and the community. It is the definition of what theatre needs to be,” says Chloe of the community project.

Juliet Forster, Creative Director at York Theatre Royal, and also one of the co-directors of Sovereign, says: “We’ve been doing these large-scale community productions for more than 10 years, and the joy and passion from the participants has been extraordinary every time. There is a real appetite in York to participate in telling the stories of our city, and this extends into every area of the project, from the cast and choir, to volunteers helping in all areas offstage – from photography and fundraising to stage management and front of house. And, certainly, it extends to the costume makers, who produce hundreds of stunning items of costume that set the scene and the era and bring the shows to life. I can’t wait to see our cast suited and booted with their handiwork.”

Sovereign is staged outdoors at King’s Manor in York, where part of the story takes place. Two professional actors lead the 100-strong community company of actors, singers, musicians and backstage workers. The cast includes Irish actor and stage combat fighter, Fergus Rattigan, whose acting work has largely been in Shakespeare at festivals and more recently online. His Shakespearean roles include Puck, Malvolio, most of the Mechanicals in ‘A Midsummer Night Dream’ and Claudius in Hamlet.

Running from July 15 to 30, the outdoor production in King’s Manor, Exhibition Square, York, is a collaboration between York Theatre Ro yal and the University of York and is directed by Juliet Forster, Mingyu Lin and John R Wilkinson.

For tickets or for more information call the Box Office on 01904 623568 or visit www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.