A day in the life… Running Wardrobe Edition. 

What happens when you work in a wardrobe department on a theatre show? I’ll tell you… through the medium of this very handy checklist…

[Ps. Yes I know every show / company / theatre is different but this gives you the gist.]

1. Get in earlier than anyone else.
2. Enjoy the silent beauty of the theatre before the rest of the rabble arrive
3. Put on your walking boots. The wardrobe department is usually either 5 floors up or 3 floors down. 
4. Dump your bag and coat in the wardrobe department – (or wardrobe dungeon if you’re 3 floors down). Ignore this step if the wardrobe department is a cupboard.
5. Make a hot beverage. 
6. If you’re a HOD there’ll probably be some admin to whizz through; emails, timesheets, petty cash forms, HR enquiries etc. etc.

*Autocorrect gets us

7. Descend /ascend further into the building to the laundry room. Sometimes this is the same room as the wardrobe department but sometimes they like to hide it to test your patience. 
8. Get your washing out the machine and get it drying.(Side note: Back in the day there was drama around dryer fires so it’s understandable that no theatres let you put the dryer on overnight. Some even say no to the washing machine being on but those theatres are pricks.)
9. Fight with the spinner. I like to think it knows when I am in a rush and is yelling at me. Thud EVENLY thud DISTRIBUTE thud IDIOT thud thud thud
10. Options for drying include;
    1. A clothes horse
    2. A dryer 
    3. A radiator 
    4. A hot box (a fridge but hot)
    5. Running around with the clothes attached to a piece of string like a kite 

9. If there’s another load of washing to do, chuck that on. Usually hand washing is done the night before but if not get the rubber gloves out.  
10. Return to the wardrobe department, or if it’s the same place then cross over to the other side of the room. If laundry is in a cupboard (seen more times than is ideal) then back out and shut the door. 
11. Drink your hot beverage
12.  You’ve got a bit of time whilst it all dries, this is when I would tackle any maintenance notes. Depending on your team’s vibe depends how these notes are communicated……(Whatsapp message: “Dave’s fairy wing fell off again” …or…Written in a maintenance book: “David Davidson’s act one blue fairy dungarees – right wing has small rip above right shoulder”)

13. Grab the list and bring the culprits in. Line them up and shake your head with disapproval, rude words are optional at this point.
14. Fix all problems
15. Check the washing
16. Probably time for a snack now.
17. Iron everything that’s not supposed to be creased. Most wardrobe people iron everything properly. Others only do it for the nice members of the cast but you didn’t hear that from me.
18. Set the costumes for the show. You’ll have either written or been given a setting sheet, this document details what costumes need to be where before the start of the show. Play match up. Some costumes aren’t set until the quarter/ beginners to lessen the chances of those blasted creases. 
19. Back to Wardrobe. Usually some non wardrobe member comes to visit, to dispose of their woes, “borrow” a needle and thread, or hopefully share biscuits.  
20. If it’s winter, sit in the hot box. Noone thinks of putting heating in the wardrobe department. 
21. At the half, pop into the actors’ dressing rooms to check they’re alive. Depending on the show some need help putting on their costumes, it depends on the cast hierarchy who gets help when. Unfortunately not decided by us.
22. At beginners head to the stage. It’s showtime! 
23. Follow the cue sheet, which might look something like this;
    1. Costume change
    2. Costume change
    3. Reassure a cast member
    4. Mini break whilst advocating for your department again 
    5. Hang up costumes 
    6. Costume change 
    7. Moan about something that should have been sorted weeks ago 
    8. Remind another department of your name
    9. Costume change 
    10. Transport costumes to another place
    11. Fix Dave’s wing 
    12. Costume change
    13. Costume change 
    14. Attempt the choreo
    15. Costume change
24. Interval is sometimes a break. Usually it’s time to move more costumes.
25. At the end of the show, help actors out of their costumes. They’ll put their washing in a basket and we take that basket to laundry. 
26. The cycle begins again the next day.