Behind the Scenes at La Comedie Francaise

All this talk of Elizabethan ruffs,  it seemed like the right time to share some of my photos from a behind the scenes tour of the La Comedie Francaise in Paris. 

La Comedie Francaise is a state theatre that was founded when two Parisian acting troupes merged under the decree of by Louis XIV on August 24, 1680. At that time, the repertoire consisted of the plays of Moliere,  Racine and others.  During the French Revolution, La Comedie Francaise was shut down by order of public safety on September 3, 1783 and the actors were imprisoned. It reopened on May 31, 1799 and been in operation ever since.

When I toured the wardrobe department last spring, I marveled at the incredible knowledge and passion of the staff as well as the exquisite craftsmanship of the costumes and accessories created there.

  

Elizabethan Ruff in the Ironing Department of Le Comedie Francaise

copyright of Ingrid Mida 2009

 

The Hat Department of Le Comedie Francaise

Copyright of Ingrid Mida 2009

  

A Men's 18th Century Costume from Le Comedie Francaise

Copyright of Ingrid Mida 2009

 

The Wardrobe Inventory Book from Le Comedie Francaise

Copyright of Ingrid Mida 2009

To attend a performance of La Comedie Francaise, visit their website here.

Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlocked

Attending last week's lecture at the ROM by Jenny Tiramani on Patterns of Sixteenth Century European Court Dress reawakened my interest in the costumes of that period. I pulled Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd by Janet Arnold off the shelf and studied the fashions worn by the powerful and tempestuous Queen.

The book opens with a description of the Queen written by F.M. O'Donoghue:

"Though in her girlhood, when her position was one of great uncertainty and some danger, she discreetly affected an extreme simplicity of dress, and a dislike for outward show, after her accession to the throne her natural vanity and love of admiration led her to adopt every expedient calculated to enhance her charms, and in her later years, 'imagining' as Francis Bacon observes 'that the people who are much influenced by externals, would be diverted by the glitter of her jewels from noticing the decay of her personal attractions' she indulged in an absolutely barbaric display of rich fabrics and jewellery."

Whether or not the Queen was excessive or barbaric in choices of wardrobe and jewellery is a matter of opinion but the many portraits of the red-headed monarch certainly confirm an affinity for sumptuous fabrics decorated with elaborate embellishments of embroidery and beading. Add her exquisite white ruffs and there is no doubt that she created a powerful effect with her wardrobe choices.

This incomparable book by Janet Arnold, originally published in 1988, is a comprehensive analysis of Queen Elizabeth's wardrobe. The book is divided into 11 chapters as follows:
I. In the Eye of the Beholder
II. Portraits of the Queen
III. Robes of Ceremony
IV. Designs for Jewellery and Embroidery: their Sources and Symbolism
V. Gifts of Clothing and Jewels
VI. The Pursuit of Fashion
VII. The Wardrobe of Robes
VIII. The Queen's Artificers
IX. Editor's Note on the Transcripts of the Stowe and Folger Inventories
X. The Inventory Made in July 1600 of the Contents of the Wardrobe of Robers at the Tower of London and within the Court (Stowe)
XI. The Inventory Made in July 1600 of the Contents of the Office of the Wardrobe of Robes at Blackrairs, with a List of Personal Jewels Lost Since 1586

Incredibly thorough in both its scope and depth of its analysis, this book also includes extensive illustrations and a comprehensive bibliography. What distinguishes Janet Arnold's books from others is her ability to make her scholarly work readable. Her analysis is deep but her writing is clear and to the point (an utterly refreshing counterpoint to the many scholarly works that I read which require toothpicks to keep my eyelids open).

Clothing for the Warrior and the Courtier: Patterns of Sixteenth Century European Court Dress

Elaborate ruffs, doublets, brigandines and cloaks are the hallmarks of the sixteenth century,  the time of Elizabeth I and Shakespeare. A renowned expert and costumer specializing in this period, Jennifer Tiramani, recently spoke at the Royal Ontario Museum as part of their Veronika Gervers Fellowship Program.

 Cloak circa 1580-1600, V&A Museum No. 793-1901

Jenny was one of the authors who completed the book "Patterns of Fashion 4, The cut and construction of linen shirts, smocks, neckwear, headwear and accessories for men and women c.1540-1660)" after Janet Arnold died. The Patterns of Fashion series of books are important reference sources in historical fashion and are well used books in my library.

Jenny Tiramani has worked as a Costume and Stage Designer since 1977. Based in the UK, she was Associate Designer at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East 1979-1997; Director of Theatre Design at Shakespeare’s Globe 1997-2005; and is presently Resident Designer of Mark Rylance’s Phoebus Cart Theatre Company. Among her numerous current projects as a freelance costumer, Tiramani is currently designing costumes for the Metropolitan Opera in New York

Jenny recently spent several weeks in Toronto examining European sixteenth century dress and several objects of the ROM’s Textiles and Costume collection, including a rare 1500 - 1530 brigandine, a garment worn by royalty or courtiers. A form of body armour, the brigandine has been compared to the modern day bullet proof vest. In the sixteenth century, it was considered a “hidden doublet of defense.” The brigandine in the ROM’s collection is made of crimson velvet with decorative brass headed rivets that hold in place the inner protective metal plates. Jenny examined the garments and also created patterns mapping the cut and construction in order to understand decorative techniques and the play between armour and clothing.

Her charm and passion for her subject were infectious. Truthfully, I never  considered men's garments to be remotely interesting before this lecture but clearly I've overlooked the fact that clothing for men at that time, particularly their cloaks, was rich with symbolism.

After the lecture, she invited the audience to come up and look at her patterns, which were drawn onto large sheets of graph paper with meticulous notes. I chatted with her briefly and found her utterly enchanting, as apparently everyone else did too!