Inside the Wardrobe

This afternoon went with L to the Grads costume store to see if she could find anything suitable for her part in Arkle's production of Boston Marriage. Not the place to visit if you are at all claustrophobic. There is a long corridor leading in off the street to a fair-sized work space, with with lots of theatrical 'flats' stacked up against the walls, furniture hanging from the walls and a workbench with lots of tools for making up sets. The costumes are stored 'upstairs' in a mezzanine level that is squashed up underneath the roof in half of the space. The ceiling is so low in places you need to stoop under beams, and the costumes are stored on long racks stretching to the back of the space with barely enough space to shuffle between them and check what is there. There is a catalogue with a list of everything on the racks, and several things no longer there, scored through with the single word, 'moth', as an explanation. L spent some time trying to find some things that 'might do' and having picked some out, checked sizes and put half of them back again. A better catalogue and labeling system might include every costume size, but as M said, it's probably the case that there was someone who knew every bit of costume in the place and what size it was. The sort of costume wizard that every drama group has. A point proved when we went out to another group's store to the south of the city. We were met there by the group's wardrobe person who picked out an excellent outfit for L.
A sad day today with the news of the death of the actor Richard Griffiths. Many of the obituary pieces mention Harry Potter, but having never seen one of the films, for me he will always be Uncle Monty in the beautiful film Withnail & I. One of those films that touches the soul. Great writing. Great acting. Excellent cinematography (the scene when Marwood and Withnail go to the pub - 'I think and evening at The Crow' - and we see them silhouetted against the skyline is one of my all-time favourite film images). And seeing he was only 65 when he died, I now realise just how young he was when playing Monty 26 years ago. A sad loss, taken much too young. RIP.