The forthcoming production of Medea offers an excellent opportunity to share archival collections relating to former Greek plays, which have been distinguished by innovative direction and strong performances by pupils.  They have also been celebrated for impressive costumes, reflecting great ingenuity and hard work by college staff.  The meticulous planning which went into costume design is emphasised by two sets of beautiful sketches from the 1970s and early 1990s. 

The first set was created by Dora Raeburn, who began working upon Greek Play costumes in 1955 when her son David Raeburn directed Oedipus Coloneus.  In 1973, when asked about her design philosophy, Raeburn explained, ‘I look for something which I feel will look authentic but not necessarily realistic — authentic in the sense that it expresses the line and form of the Greek costumes. For theatre use, though, colour must be larger than life size’.  Raeburn’s design sketches are particularly valuable since they preserve sample fabrics.  In 1973, when Bradfield first began working with a choreographer, Annette Cotterill, Raeburn collaborated to create costumes which did not restrict patterns of movement.      

The second set of designs are from the period when Mary Askew was Wardrobe Mistress (1975-97).  Askew, who also ran the college bookshop, was the daughter of teacher Leslie Price.  The annotations to a series of striking sketches for the 1991 production of Bacchae document the creative process at work and reveal the great thought that went into combining aesthetic effect with the demands of performance.  The choice of colour was informed by an exact understanding of lighting conditions in the Greek Theatre.  The comments written upon the design for the gorgeous green and yellow costumes of the Chorus of Elders (seen below) illustrate these points:    

Try yellow out in artificial light, as it does not always light well, being a weaker colour.  Reinforce with gold braid if funds will run to it. 

Skirt of tunic braided to give the illusion of draping but straight for freer movement. 

The best GEL for lighting these costumes is Strand no. 36, lilac, known in the trade as “surprise pink.”  It has the effect of pure daylight.