Cloud Nine: Costume design (including hair and make-up)

Significance of Costume Design

Costume design in Cloud Nine plays a significant role in reinforcing the themes of gender, power, oppression, and liberation.
The period-specific costumes of Act 1 help establish the historical context and the social norms of the Victorian era.
The costumes also aid in portraying the characters’ socio-economic statuses and occupations – like Clive’s colonial administrator uniform highlighting his authoritative position.
The drastic changes in costume between the two acts signify societal and personal shifts. The characters in Act 2 are dressed in contemporary clothes of the 1970s, reflecting societal changes and individual developments.

Gender and Costume Design

The cross-gender casting in the play is emphasised through costume design, notably with Betty’s character being played by a man in the colonial times and a woman in the contemporary era.
Costumes contribute significantly to challenging and critiquing gender norms. For example, Edward in Act 2 is seen wearing a dress, challenging the binary representation of genders.
The deliberate costume choices in the first act – like the sweeping dress for Betty – suggests the restrictions and oppressions women faced, while the more relaxed and practical attire worn by women in the second act indicates liberation.

Hair and Make-up

Hairstyles and make-up also play a vital role in defining the characters and illustrating their identities.
The make-up in Act 2 is more experimental and non-conformist, including Lin and Victoria’s makeup.
Act 1’s restrictive hairstyles imply the era’s stringent societal expectations, while the more relaxed and varied hairstyles in the second act reveal a wave of self-expression and independence.

Cross-Casting and Doubling

The element of cross-casting and doubling is also supported by changes in costume between different characters played by the same actor.
For example, actor 1 playing Clive in Act 1 and Cathy in Act 2 has to switch from the formal colonial attire to a child’s dress, not only visually distinguishing the characters but also underlining the thematic contrasts between them.

Symbolism in Costume

Costumes serve as key symbols throughout the play. Pictured through costumes, the colonial power structure is a significant symbol in Act 1.
Casual and personalised clothing choices in Act 2 symbolise the evolution towards liberty and individuality.
The wedding dress Victoria wears in Act 2, even though she’s divorcing, exemplifies the mockery of societal norms and traditional sentiments.

Overall, through dynamic costume, hair, and make-up choices, Cloud Nine encapsulates the evolution of societal structures from oppressive colonial times to a more liberated era, intertwined with the characters’ personal transformations.