MARAT//SADE
Based on a play set in Charenton Asylum in France 1808, Marat/Sade is a gruesome depiction of class struggle and human suffering which questions whether true revolution comes from changing society or changing oneself.
The costume design process was very organic, developed while watching the inmates rehearse - creating their individual backstories and illnesses - enabling the creation of a costume suited to each personality.
Keeping a period silhouette grounded the overall aesthetic in the 1800s, but with the chaos and modern references in the play a diverse range of textiles were used. Inspiration was largely drawn from the life of the Marquis de Sade and his erotic novels; the combination of sex, restraint and bondage were key themes in the costume designs. The inmates’ costumes were designed with the mindset that they had been created by the patients themselves in the asylum, giving beaten-up found objects a new lease of life.
Director: Max Rubin
Costume Design: Liz Sheard