In this short educational film, costume designer Katie Sykes and director Sally Cookson discuss the process of creating costumes that reflect character and period, whilst also allowing actors to change quickly and move freely.

One in a series of five films which use interviews and production clips to explore this dynamic, devised production of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.

Learning outcomes

This education resource will support students to understand the process of designing costumes and how design supports storytelling in a production.

It supports the study of devised theatre and costume design in GCSE Drama and A Level Drama and Theatre.

It also offers a new perspective for students studying the original novel for GCSE and A Level English Literature.

Lyttelton Theatre, 2015. Co-production with the Bristol Old Vic.

Jane Eyre, original novel by Charlotte Brontë; devised by the company; directed by Sally Cookson; set design by Michael Vale; costume design by Katie Sykes; lighting design by Aideen Malone; music composed and directed by Benji Bower; sound design by Mike Beer and Dominic Bilkey.

Photo © Manuel Harlan

The full production is available to stream on the National Theatre Collection

Suitability

Suitable for age 11+/KS3+

Sally Cookson, Charlotte Brontë, devising, movement, music, GCSE English Literature, A Level English Literature, AQA, WJEC, OCR, Pearson Edexcel, Eduqas