Costume design enhances characterization, comedy, time period of 17th-century comedy

Peggy Stansbery, Spectrum Editor

Costumes act as a subconscious element of theater that helps transport people into a different world; when producing a period piece, such as “The Imaginary Invalid,” costumes do so and set the period, said Kasey Brown, costume designer of “The Imaginary Invalid.” 

VCUarts Theatre presents the comedy “The Imaginary Invalid” at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts from Nov. 30 through Dec. 3, according to VCUarts Theatre’s press release. 

“The Imaginary Invalid,” the last work of celebrated French satirist Moliére, is set in 17th-century France, according to VCUarts Theatre’s press release. It covers the story of melodramatic Argan, who suffers from imagined ills and endless, unnecessary treatments and wants to marry his daughter to a doctor to save on his medical bills.

In addition to setting the period, the show’s costumes help support its comedy because 17th-century fashion was gigantic, funny and bizarre itself, Brown said. 

Fashion of the 17th-century restricted women’s movement, and women couldn’t raise their arms higher than shoulder height, causing the moment on stage to be comedic and lending to the show’s physical comedy, Brown said. 

Designing costumes for a period show involved a lot of research, especially since there were no photographs from the period, Brown said. 

“My goal when I was researching was to laugh at almost every picture I found,” Brown said. “So I really just tried to use the period to make myself laugh.”

The main character Argan, the invalid, wears gigantic breaches that look like a diaper and a bib, according to Brown. These costume items are all from researched images from the period. 

Argan’s costume supports his characterization because he acts like a big baby, and everyone has to take care of him, Brown said. 

Brown hopes the costumes make people laugh and feel stunned, but she believes costumes shouldn’t distract from the other elements of the production, she said. 

“If they’re just thinking about my clothes the whole time and the things that I’ve done, I think I failed at my job, because this is a collaborative art and it should all mend together and create one whole picture instead of just one aspect,” Brown said. 

Costumes play an important role in the production, said Jeffrey Darland, director of “The Imaginary Invalid.” How the characters dress, look and hold themselves — which represents the socioeconomic hierarchy — helps the audience understand who the characters are and their position. 

Darland has worked closely with Brown while directing, he said. 

“We definitely talked about character again and what motivates these characters, and what their intentions are,” Darland said. “Kasey, our costume designer, was able to kind of incorporate it into the outfits, and then I make sure that the performers feel empowered and accentuate all of their beliefs within the costumes themselves.”

The costume of Argan’s second wife Béline, who plays the archetypal wicked stepmother, accentuates the archetype of her character, Darland said. The costume includes a large and poofy wig and images of thunderstorms — featuring lots of purple and a dark and stormy look. 

“Because this is a period piece, the way the characters hold themselves is very important,” Darland said. “So if they are of a higher status, how they kind of gesture or even simply walk across the stage can very much be affected by the skirts that they’re wearing or the cane that they hold.”

The character Dr. Purgon wears a regal cape that helps inform the performer how to hold themself, move and gesture, which illuminates characterization, Darland said. 

“I, as an actor, believe that costume design is everything,” said Evan Kagarise, who plays Argan. “It’s my favorite part of the whole process is getting costumed and I think VCU has one of the best costume departments.”

The costumes tell people who the characters are and help the actor feel more confident and become the character, Kagarise said. 

“I think getting to have these bold, beautiful costumes, it allows our performances to be bold, and it allows the audience to really see who the characters are,” Kagarise said. 

Argan wears bright, beautiful colors and a long, fabulous robe, and gives Kagarise a feeling of wealth, Kagarise said. Underneath the robe, Argan’s diaper and bib-looking costume bolster his infant-like quality and adds another layer to the character. 

“It opens up a whole new avenue that I can take with the character because so much of this show is physical comedy and physical improvisation,” Kagarise said. “Suddenly, I have a whole new group of things that I can improvise with my costume.”

Kagarise feels most excited about the costumes and making people laugh when performing “The Imaginary Invalid,” he said. 

“I love to make people laugh,” Kagarise said. “It’s been a second since I’ve done comedy. I haven’t done a comedic mainstage here. So I’m excited to do that and to hear laughter in Hodges theater.”