Implication Of Costume Design Choices Of William...

Implication of Costume Design Choices in Staging Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus â€Å"An effective costume engages the audience’s attention and enhances the production and the actor’s performance: (1) it visually defines and supports the character developed by the actor, and (2) it helps establish the overall theme and mood of the production as interpreted by the director. An effective costume speaks to the audience’s subconscious store of knowledge and experience, helping them to identify the individual characters even before they speak and even if they are silent.† -- The Magic Garment (Cunningham 2) The most first and most important step in designing costumes for a show is to discuss the overall artistic vision of the show with the director. Interpretation of the text and the resulting goal of the production will guide the artistic design of the show, from the set and costumes to props and acting. Eleanor Fuchs’ essay â€Å"EF s Visit to a Small Planet: Or Some Questions to Ask of a Play† provides an analytical frame work that can be applied to any play to help determine the nature of this interpretation. When this framework is applied to Marlowe’s The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, it is possible to consider how design elements, such as costumes, might change the overall audience interpretation of the play. Design choices provide details that aren’t specified in the text alone, which can direct not only the audience’s overall interpretation of the show, but also their