Globe Playground - Getting into costume
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Getting into Costume
Jess Murphy plays one of the witches in Macbeth. A dresser who helps her put on the costume
in the back stage of the theatre. This area is called the tiring house.
The first part of her costume is a smock. She then puts on a corset.
To give the corset its shape, the lacing has to be tied very tightly.
The next piece of clothing is called a bum roll.
This roll of fabric is worn around the waist to make sure her skirt sticks out more.
Next, she puts on the underskirt and partlet. The underskirt is also tied at the back and
sits on top of the bum roll. A partlet is a patterned piece of material
at the front of the skirt. It is tied to the underskirt all along the
sides and waist. The dress is made of different bits of clothing
that are pieced together. Around her neck is a ruff, which was a fashionable
collar in Shakespeare's time. There is a bodice, which is similar to a corset
but decorated to match the rest of the costume. There is another skirt, called the top skirt.
It is open at the front so that you can see the pattern on the partlet.
Jess puts on her hat and accessories. Her costume is then quickly checked by the
dresser to make sure everything looks good. Now she's ready to go on stage.
