Lord of the Flies

A word from the Costume Designer, Miriam Spring Davies

I started the process as I usually do by reading the script and understanding the director’s vision for the play. Following a period of research, I created mood boards from which to help kickstart several workshops which were held with the cast in the early part of the process. This play deals with the transformation of its characters who experience something quite extraordinary and, in this case, in a rather unusual setting. We needed to show this transition of time and evolution through the characters’ outward appearance. I liked the idea that the costumes would be found in and around the set and the audience would clearly witness this metamorphosis taking place.

The characters are affected as much by their environment as by their circumstance and this continues in various stages, throughout the production. Whilst old army uniforms and camouflage suits provided the main base from which to work with, it was important to show which specific items each character chose to wear and how they wore them. By choosing to set the play, ‘sometime in the future’, it allowed freedom to draw from various periods of military attire and provided even further scope for creativity.

It’s been an absolute pleasure working with the cast of ‘Lord of the Flies’, to give them the opportunity to design and create aspects of individual characters themselves. I have been able to use elements of their designs from the sketches and costume creations from their first costume workshop and furthered their ideas in a second workshop which focussed on reality and authenticity – the passage of time and the deterioration of their clothing. I look forward to the result being a creative collaboration with brilliant input from an engaged and talented cast.’