Tal Beer-Frayhof

'Heartless' & 'Hadestown'

Performance Costume - BA (Hons)

School of Design

talbeerfrayhof@gmail.com

Portfolio

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Catherine Pinkerton/Future Queen of Hearts

Awards

John L Paterson Awards (performance), 2022

Bio

Both my projects have allowed me to explore and showcase who I am as a designer, reinventing famous stories with a my own personal spin. Heartless tells the story of the Queen of Hearts, while Hadestown is a retelling of the Greek Myth of Orpheus and Eurydice; both narratives allowed me to explore my own aesthetics and history through these iconic characters, resulting in a fresh outlook on them.

Costume Show Video - Queen of Hearts from Heartless and Persephone from Hadestown

Heartless

Heartless is a film adaptation of the novel by Marissa Meyer, the narrative focusing on Catherine Pinkerton, who, long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to open a bakery. My take on this iconic character shows a softer side to the queen, the novel serving as a prequel to Lewis Carrol’s “Alice in Wonderland”, introducing us to the journey that brought the Queen of Hearts to where she is at the start of the classic tale. Using a combination of well-known and brand new characters, the narrative manages to both be a seamless addition to the classic narrative as well as expand on the world which has be remade so many times, introducing new and exciting characters. The story adds complexity to the caricature of the Queen of Hearts by making us question how one becomes a villain; is a villain just a hero without a happy ending?

Costume for Catherine Pinkerton (Future Queen of Hearts)

Costume for Catherine Pinkerton (Future Queen of Hearts) (Photo Credit Mihaela Bodlovic)

Heartless Characters:

Wonderland is a fantastical land which has been adapted over and over, which is why the design objective of this project focuses on a new take on these iconic characters. While keeping the quirky aesthetic that is associated with Carrol’s work, there is an element of modernity I would like to include. The novel follows old social rules. A woman can’t own a business, her parents must approve of her marriage, and the class system which denies those from different classes from being together is ingrained in society. This leads me to a visual concept which is inspired by 1860s fashion, but is not entirely historically accurate. Taking inspiration from historical fashion, predominantly the time of the original publication of the tales, I would like to create a neo historical look which would feel like the story can be set at any time, contributing to this timeless world, yet still matching in a way to the social hierarchy that is established in the story. This won’t be completely historical, as I believe that would take away from the fantastical elements of the world, but a combination of contemporary and historical designs, with modern vibrant colours and textiles techniques.

Hadestown

A Latin-Futuristic take on the dystopian Broadway musical sets Hadestown within the rich Colombian culture, exploring my own cultural heritage through the themes of capitalist greed within Gran Colombia’s colonial history. Hadestown is set in a dystopian world, where the upperworld is struggling financially and environmentally while the underworld is exploiting their wealth. The climate changes because Hades keeps Persephone in the Underworld too long, so she is very happy when she gets to leave; she is in this costume. My concept is set within Colombian culture, expressing the capitalist themes through the colonialisation of Gran Colombia. Persepohone is a representation of the Barranquilla carnival (celebrating the arrival of Spring), so she is energetic and colourful, and a little bit drunk. When in the underworld, however, she is metaphorically chained; she loves the Upperworld. Her arrival signifies the beginning of Spring, and the arrival of Hope, colours, and dance, key features of Colombian culture.

Concept Art for Hadestown

Persephone

Persephone’s costume combines the three elements of her character: her connection to nature (though the plant textiles, green hints, and greenhouse structure), her connection to Colombia (the ruffles, the print on the trousers, the 3D printed gold design), and her relationship to Hades (chains, gold). Her over the shoulder ruffle is a Colombian classic, while the shape of the green skirt is taken from the Barranquilla front dress. Finally, the v shaped lacing at the back is taken from the front of the Barranquilla bodice.