Behind the scenes of one of the most famous shows at the landmark theatre …
Having first presented the work of Oscar Wilde in 1929, the Gate Theatre has remained loyal to its “dear friend” whose much-loved thriller An Ideal Husband has just opened. Intrigue and deception are at its core, as is Wilde’s trademark humour and glamour.
The play poses the question – who would you support or deceive when power and money are at stake? The cast stars Richard Flood (Shameless, Grey’s Anatomy) and Ayoola Smart (The Wheel of Time, Cocaine Bear) as Lord and Lady Chiltern. Matthew Malone plays the role of Lord Goring, with Caitriona Ennis as Lady Chevely.
James McGlynn Seaver, who’s particularly well known for his innovative corsetry designs that blend high fashion and historical accuracy, was tasked with designing the costumes; many inspired by Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano. He tells us more about his career and the process …
How did you become a costume designer? I trained as a fashion and textile designer, working as a fashion designer for twelve years. My costume career started by designing and making costumes for Panti Bliss, which I have done since 2009 as a side project to my day job. This project led to a lot of opportunities to work with directors and writers on an array of projects, becoming head of costume for the Gate Theatre in 2018. So, I suppose we can say I fell into it!
What are some of your favourite projects to date? Panti’s Noble Call dress, now held in the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks in Dublin, has been a real career highlight. Each show that I’ve worked on really holds a special place. Costume is an art form that you throw your heart and soul into.
What’s your process? I start with the script and an indepth chat with the director before meeting the set designer to see what world we’re adapting the play to. Once I’m armed with this information, I turn to the characters and cast who are going to bring these people to life. I start to storyboard and sketch the entire show – picking fabrics, selecting trims and building colour stories – then I work with the costume supervisor on how we build the vision in a way that works for the show.
How did you begin working on An Ideal Husband? When it came to imagining the clothing for the show, I started with looking at the incredible set design from Kat Heath and trying to imagine a world that blended 1890s Victorian fashion with this surreal space. The world couldn’t feel overly Victorian, yet I wanted to honour the clothing of the period. The paintings of John Singer Sargent and, in particular, the portrait of Madame X was really a pivotal point of inspiration.
My work is heavily inspired by corsetry, so all the gowns have details that embrace their construction and craft. Each dress was handcrafted in the Gate Costume Studio by a team of wonderful makers.
The textiles and colours had to feel bold. A mix of textures and print were heavily inspired by the runway fashion of the late 1990s’ designers such as Versace, Westwood and Galliano’s Dior, which I feel give the show a contemporary edge.
I felt that Oscar Wilde’s pamphlet The Philosophy of Dress, published in 1885, gave us a license to play with the era in a way that I think he would enjoy. As he said, ‘One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art’.
What do you enjoy most about your work? The research and design work as well as the draping and construction of the costumes is what excites me most. I also love working with the actors as you can really forge some incredible bonds with people when you go on a discovery of a character together.
Need to know: An Ideal Husband runs until July 11.
