Just Kidding...

Posted by Sara Green (Marketing and Admin Assistant, Hoipolloi)

Of course we were joking about coincidentally bumping into the Doubtful Guest at the Barbican last Friday but we did have an extremely interesting afternoon taking photos of the creature in an around the estate.

I’ll give you one guess to work out the mug that was inside the massive furry costume for two hours? Of course it was me - I happen to be the right size to fit in it and so was a prime target to be roped in by Simon, Hoipolloi’s Marketing & Touring Manager.

It was actually a very enjoyable afternoon and, despite getting some funny looks from several Barbican residents and being questioned by a curious policeman, it all ran rather smoothly. We took photos everywhere - on the bridges, lying on benches, peeping round columns and even managed to get invited up to a resident’s balcony, whose name, remarkably, was Hugh. (Maybe it was Hugh Hughes in disguise…)

The costume looks pretty impressive and very striking; however it is extremely suffocating not to mention completely restricting. I found it hard to walk, to talk and even to see, making me sort of understand why the creature refuses to listen to the family’s pleas for it to move. Maybe it literally can’t. There’s an interesting thought!

But even though I moan about the uncomfortable costume etc, it was actually quite exciting. To be photographed on location by a talented photographer and be the centre of attention for several hours isn’t all that bad! It was also nice to experience life from the doubtful guest’s perspective. The way it stands, nose pointed outwards, arms by its side is really specific and standing still, staring for minutes at a time made me feel like I was the real creature and I did often drift off into a day dream. Easily done I can assure you.

I think that this was a great opportunity for an aspiring actor and I have some fantastic photos of my debut - although I definitely won’t be using them as headshots in the near future…

EXCLUSIVE - first glimpse of the costumes

Posted by Simon Bedford (Marketing & Touring Manager, Hoipolloi)

Stefanie Mueller who is the designer for The Doubtful Guest (and also Hoipolloi's Associate Director - in addition to performing in the show!) has been working hard over the last few months deciding what the performers will wear in the production.

Using the original Gorey illustrations as inspiration, she is now working with the Wardrobe Dept of the Theatre Royal Plymouth to actually make the costumes.

Last week, Steffi along with Jill Norman and Ben Frimston (two of the actors in the show) and Richard, Hoipolloi's Production Manager headed down to Plymouth to see how things are going and to take part in the first costume fitting.

I'm pleased to give you, our blog readers, the very first look at how the costumes are developing.

Here is Ben trying on one of his costumes:

And here he is again in his coat.

Jill in her undergarments!

And slowly gets more dressed...

Finally here she is in her coat.

The creation of the Guest itself is also well underway but we're keeping that top-secret and underwraps until the very first performance!

Preparing for the R&D period

Posted by: Sara Green (Marketing & Admin Assistant, Hoipolloi)

As Marketing and Admin Assistant my duties have varied massively from answering the phone to going out and about with leaflets. But recently I have been doing a lot of work in preparation for The Doubtful Guest and specifically to prepare for the two week research and development period that is coming up.

I never really appreciated just how much work goes into making a production before but now it is evident that without research and meticulous planning the show would never lift off the ground.

Yesterday, Steffi, [Mueller, Associate Director of Hoipolloi and the Designer of The Doubtful Guest] was using me as a model for a mask she has been making.

For those of you who don't know Gorey's original tale, it involves a strange and bizarre creature that arrives in a family's house and never, ever leaves! The mask will eventually form part of the costume for the doubtful guest themselves!

I was standing there for ages wearing the furry headpiece as she tried to work out how it would fit on all different sized heads, including my extra small one! The mask is really impressive; it was made from a plaster mould and covered in fluff - so much so that after I'd tried it on a couple of times, I was covered in fluff too.

Steffi also showed me how to make the mask by sticking loads of ripped up bits of paper delicately around the edge of the plaster mould and then building up the layers, filling the eyes and following the shape of the head. I then spent all of this morning ripping up paper and spreading glue with my fingers. It was really fun actually and although it took me up till lunch time to finish it, it was very satisfying to know that I had done something that I’d never done before! It took me back to my Art days (not that long ago actually) which was fun. Even though Steffi’s mask is much more striking I am quite proud of my first attempt and who knows, it might even appear in the show!?

Another job that I was given today was to trawl the famous Mill Road charity shops [in Cambridge] in search of some props for next week. I literally walked the entire length of the road looking for the most obscure items, such as an old fashioned comb and brush set, and some more normal requests like plates and cutlery. It didn’t help that I forgot my glasses today and so had to ask where everything was as I couldn’t see it!

But I did manage to find everything, well almost everything, and even managed to get about 10 old fashioned books for free. It must be my charm! So we now have plates, cutlery, books, umbrellas and a kettle to make tea with during rehearsals. And I got it all for less than £20. (Although I made up for that when I bought all the tea, coffee, biscuits, sugar etc to keep our energy up!)

As well as shopping and mask-making the jobs for The Doubtful Guest are endless. However I think we are just about ready to start rehearsing on Monday. It’s been really exciting to kick start the proceedings and I can’t wait to find out how these props and masks are going to feature in the show.