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'Julius Caesar'

Director Nick Pitt, Birkbeck MFA Director

Specualtive design for The Shed

(March 2014)

Working closely with my director, we were struck by the notion of ritual and honour present in Julius Caesar, and linked this with Japanese culture. We soon found a perfect parallel of Caesar's reign and betrayal in the Japanese shogun era, unnervingly at the same time as Julius Caesar was written. The production soon became a reflection of this coincidence: an all-encompassing Japanese interpretation of Julius Caesar, complete with traditional music. In my design I was inspired by origami and the simple but energised shapes of Japanese architecture, so I created two walkway structures that met in the middle; with a rough Roman stone path meeting sleek Japanese wood floor. I translated this into my costume designs by extending the Roman toga and adding a Japanese style to it: creating the kimoga. This succeeded in creating more of a fusion between the two cultures by drawing on their similarities. 

Initial sketch model

Initial sketch model

Adapted white card model

Adapted white card model

Finished model

Finished model

Finished model

Finished model

Finished model

Finished model

Finished model

Finished model

Storyboard moment

Storyboard moment

Caesar and Calpurnia costumes

Caesar and Calpurnia costumes

Brutus & Portia costume designs

Brutus & Portia costume designs

The conspirators costume group

The conspirators costume group

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