Day Nine...

To begin the day, we completed blocking the final scene involving the adults, integrating the final number, 'I Wish', at its very end. We've now arrived at a point where the circulation of characters around the classroom springs naturally from their interactions and therefore feels realistic.

The bulk of the day involved different combinations of actors rehearsing their songs with Gavin and Matthew and visits to wardrobe for costume fittings.

Costume fittings involve the costume designer (in our case this is also the set designer, James Cotterill), the costume supervisor (who sources and adapts the chosen costume items) and the actor (who brings an understanding of their character to the conversation).

The bsaic (untreated) costume for Wise Frankincense

Each of us will have two costumes; one costume for our seven year old, which will include a school uniform underneath a nativity costume; and one for our parent.

We'll need to change very quickly from child to adult at the end of nativity scene and this is to be factored into the design of adult costume. It seems I shall have the quickest change from child to adult. To facilitate this, Wise Frankincense's father is to wear a suit jacket with a shirt front and tie sewn into it, so that the whole lot can be put on as one piece.

To end the day, we again reverted to seven year olds and re-visited one of the earlier scenes that is particularly tricky in terms of movements around the stage. Matthew decided to get rid of a school desk which we'd placed at the front corner of the stage, around which a lot of action happens. This freed up lots of space and allowed the action to occur much more fluidly and naturally.