As part of my graduating work I redesigned the 1968 children's television programme, The Herbs.  My  hypothetical production would be a piece of travelling theatre that is part of an educational event to teach young children about plants and gardening. They could watch performances of The Herbs, which will take place outdoors, among participating in other activities such as herb planting and drawing botanical plates. 

 

My production is set in the 1960s, taking inspiration from designers such as Mary Quant and John Stephen. Each character's costume reflects their namesake herb through colour, texture and prints, designed by me. The costuming is bright and playful. The animal characters are portrayed as puppets and accompanied by puppeteers who act as friends and helpers.

​

I made costumes for the characters Dill the Dog and the Narrator. 

​

Dill is energetic and excitable, and accompanied by his puppeteer Dizzy who is a dog walker. Dill is made from a plastazote skeleton which I covered in lyrca and hand dyed rayon fringe. His puppeteer wears a mohair playsuit inspired by Mary Quant and a polo-neck made from jersey printed with my dill themed pattern.

 

The Narrator is a gardener and would show the children around her herb garden before introducing them to her magical friends. She is the only character who is not a magical herb so her colour palette is more subdued. She wears a patchwork top made from the prints of the herbs along with a large sunhat, a tool belt, and some dungarees. I want her to look like a real gardener so I have distressed her costume to make her look like she has been working in her garden.

​

​