Hamlet: Costume design (including hair and make-up)

Elizabethan Costume Design

Costumes in the Elizabethan era were indicative of the social status of characters. Royalty, like Hamlet, Gertrude or Claudius, would dress in opulent clothing, rich in color and adorned with jewels.
Male characters often wore doublets, ruffs, breeches, and hosiery, while female characters wore ornate gowns, kirtles, and corsets.
In scenes where Hamlet is feigning madness, he might be dressed in disheveled and dirty clothing to physically signify his mental disarray.
Characters like Ophelia, during her madness, would be presented in torn or disheveled clothing, hair loose and messy to emphasize her mental destabilization.
Make-up was rudimentary - chalk was used for whitening faces, while soot was used for darkening eyebrows and lashes.
Hair was generally worn long by both male and female characters. Ophelia’s loose hair in her madness scenes would contrast starkly with the otherwise controlled hairstyles of the era.

Contemporary Costume Design

In contemporary productions, costume design goes beyond merely reflecting character’s social status. It can be used to highlight thematic elements or a character’s emotional journey.
Costume changes can reflect story progression, character development or emotional transitions. For example, Hamlet might start in lighter clothing but transition to darker attire as he descends into grief and revenge.
Make-up in contemporary productions can be used to suggest ageing, illness, emotional turmoil or other character traits. Similarly, modern hair styling can contribute to characterisation.
Costuming of the ghost of King Hamlet can be a significant design decision, ranging from ethereal white garments to a reflection of the armor he wore when he was alive.
Ophelia’s costumes can range from colorful innocence at the start to a white, ghostly dress during her mad scenes, symbolising her lost innocence and purity.
Geographic or historical settings of the production can significantly influence costume, hair, and make-up design, whether it’s a Victorian England look, a modern urban setting, or an unusual, futuristic approach.

Consistent Elements in Costume Design

Even across different periods and productions, some elements remain consistent, like signifying Hamlet’s mourning by dressing him in black or indicating Ophelia’s descent into madness through dishevelment.
Across both Elizabethan and modern productions, Claudius and Gertrude often display wealth and power through their attire.
The use of symbols and motifs within hair, make-up and costumes is prevalent to add layers of meaning. Thus, studying these symbolic elements can offer valuable insights into character interpretation and thematic development.

Remember that in terms of OCR Drama and Theatre, an understanding of how costume, hair and make-up can affect characterization, mood, theme and relationships within a play is crucial.