Through the classic tale of Hansel & Gretel adapted by the opera, I realised a costume/performance for Gretel, who undertakes a journey, with her sibling Hansel, about poverty (19th century living environment), abandonment, comfort between siblings, imagination, hope, heroism, and family love.
I want to spread light onto the importance of mental health of children through costume, set design, performance space, the extreme shift between the different worlds.
THE MAIN SOURCE OF INSPIRATION THROUGH MY DESIGN METHODOLOGY WAS RESEARCH INTO TO TRUE EXPERIENCES OF CHILDREN WHO ARE AFFECTION BY CHILD NEGLECT, WHETHER ITS THROUGH TESTAMENTS, PSYCHOLOGICAL/MEDICAL STUDIES OR OUTSIDER ART. BRINGING THE ELEMENT OF COMPREHENSION FROM AN OUTSIDERS PERSPECTIVE TO THIS SENSITIVE SUBJECT THROUGH A FORM OF COSTUME AND MOVEMENT IS WHAT I WANTED TO SHOWCASE. ‘GLOBALLY, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT UP TO 1 BILLION CHILDREN AGED 2–17 YEARS, HAVE EXPERIENCED PHYSICAL, SEXUAL, OR EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE OR NEGLECT IN THE PAST YEAR’. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS SADLY TRUE MATTER AND EDUCATE PEOPLE OF CHILD SUFFERINGS INDIRECTLY THROUGH THIS GRIM FAIRYTALE WHILE WANTING TO GET PEOPLE REACT WHEN SEEING WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THIS CHILD, GRETEL, EVEN THOUGH IT IS JUST IN A STORY.
I interpreted the forest from this tale, with these mystical characters as the children’s mental health degrading, therefore I wanted to focus on possible traumas, ptsd, mental disorders children can develop by neglect, in particular paracosm. It is a prolonged fantasy world into adulthood, developed by children that can stem from an emotional or traumatic response. Researchers have discovered that it is a coping mechanism as well as a creative outlet.
I decided to focus on Gretel’s costume as she represents how children can feel oppressed and want to escape reality in from their abusive domestic home but being confined to it. Her costume represents an armour as well as storytelling her story through quilted drawings. The colour theory has its own importance as well, using grey tones for the outer garments to represent their domestic environment as well as their mental suffering. The bold colours from the transformation on facial features of the hood is the children embracing this paracosm, therefore this escape to reality.
Through movement, I discovered how much the body can powerfully express emotion and take up all space through the smallest of gestures. Precisely through the movement of the hands grabbing the crochet element, its as if she’s tearing away to discover what lies beneath the surface, where her fantasy becomes her reality. Her new form is to escape her current life, representing how her trauma is being carried along with her and how its heavy yet somehow brings her creativity to light. Her seeking refuge within represents how she’s created a shield to protect herself, like children who have had traumatic experiences create ways to protect themselves. The crochet is a reflection of Gretel mentally creating her universe by shown through a child-like material state to help the audience comprehend.
Made from up-cycled denim, wadding (old duvet) & yarn.
