December 23, 2012

Costumes in Twelfth Night


Costumes play a very important role in Twelfth Night, so this month's play meme fits perfectly! As I remember watching only one adaptation of the play (but many times!), I'll take illustrations from it. And the adaptation I'm speaking about is Russian 1955 film "Twelfth Night". I like it a lot, because the cast is perfect, and they are all very good actors. Costumes are also very well chosen, you'll see!


Viola & her twin brother Sebastian

Viola is pretending to be a man, and so she dresses accordingly:


No wonder breasts are completely invisible under such a thick velvet! And men's haircuts are just perfect for a woman to imitate!

She also behaves like a proper guy:


But when she looks at her love, Orsino, her disguise is completely useless! Look at those eyes!


And that's she in a dress, in the very end:



Malvolio

By Maria's trick poor Malvolio is made to believe that his mistress, Olivia, is in love with him. And he thinks that to show her that he shares her feelings, he has to wear yellow stockings and cross garters:



 Cute, eh? =)


Clown-monk

The clown usually looks like this:


but for the practical joke they played with Malvolio he had to dress as a monk:

 

For other characters costumes are not so important, so here are just a few pictures:

Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Olivia's suitor

And that's the whole merry company together.

Antonio, a captain and friend to Sebastian.

Preparing for a duel =)

Olivia in mourning. I love her dress!
So that's pretty much everything about the costumes in this wonderful adaptation of Twelfth Night. I hope I made you wish to watch it, but even if not - just enjoy the nice costumes! =)


1 comment:

  1. This is one of my favourite comedies of Shakespeare. You're right, perhaps it was easier back then to conceal our womanly character beneath man's attire. Love Viola's costume so much.

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