Kirkcaldy panto: Finishing touches to costumes for five stars of town's big wee festive show
and live on Freeview channel 276
For nearly two months the freelance costume designer has been working on the outfits for ‘Ya Wee Sleeping Beauty’ at Kirkcaldy’s Kings Live Lounge.
She has the job of dressing the stars of the show which include former Balwearie High School pupils Sarah Brown Cooper and Robin MacKenzie along with legendary dame Billy Mack.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdLynn, who has been making costumes for theatre productions for more than two decades, is delighted to be working on the panto which will run for around 70 performances across six weeks, starting from December 1.
She said: “Designing and making costumes is the only thing I have ever done my whole life.
"I started off doing fashion and fell into the costume world 25 years ago. I lived in Cape Town as my husband is South African so I did a year’s fashion course there and then when we came back here, I did an HND in fashion. About ten years after I fell into theatre work, but I needed to upgrade my qualifications so I did a degree in costume design.
"I have made costumes for many pantos over the years and I have worked with Jonathan Stone the writer and director of this year’s panto - a lot. I really enjoy, it but at this stage it gets a little bit stressful because you have a deadline to meet.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdLynn, who also teaches evening sewing classes at venues in Kirkcaldy and Burntisland, didn’t think she would be working on another panto, until she got the call for ‘Ya Wee Sleeping Beauty.'
“When they stopped doing the panto at the Adam Smith I thought’ right that’s it I’m too old I am never doing this again’ until I was lured in this year but it is just a small one – there are only five actors.”
Her work on the panto doesn’t just involve making costumes:
She explained: “I also have to find all the shoes, and the accessories like tights, wigs – I have to dress all the wigs and put hats on them, so it is a big undertaking. A lot of finding out where you can get stuff!
"I meet up with Jonathan and we discuss what we want, we discuss colour schemes then I will go and look at fabrics. We come to an agreement on what we want and then I buy everything. In terms of making the costumes, I ask the cast to send me simple measurements and shoe sizes as well.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“If it is one of Billy’s costumes it can take two or three days. I have worked with him for a long, long time and he is lovely.
"I enjoy dressing him because I can be as creative as I want to be!
“But I can usually make a dress in a day. Once they are made, I have to do fittings, make any alterations, then I go in and watch the dress rehearsal.”
Lynn, who has a studio in her garden, added: “I really enjoy it – it is the feeling of satisfaction when everyone is happy with what you have done that is really nice.”