Wednesday 20 April 2016

Preview: Made Up at Washington Arts Centre

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The Story Behind the Makeup

Made Up
Washington Arts Centre 
Thursday 2nd - Friday 3rd June 2016

Made Up is a heart-warming new play about friendship and the faces we show the world, and comes to Arts Centre Washington on Thursday 2 + Friday 3 June as part of a regional tour.

Photo: Graeme Braidwood
Set in a Winnebago on a film set, Made Up is the story of the relationship between Kate, a young film star, and her make-up artist, Sue. Kate’s beautiful but scared, creating an act both in front of the camera and in her private life. Sue has her own unresolved issues and people she needs to make up with. Their time together in the makeup trailer develops into a special relationship.

Made Up is a collaboration between internationally acclaimed theatre company Stan’s Cafe and make-up artist Andrew Whiteoak, who has worked extensively in theatrical, film and TV make-up with notable credits such as Downton Abbey and Disney’s 2017 live action movie Beauty and the Beast. Artistic Director James Yarker and Andrew have worked together to devise a new production that features the live application of theatrical make-up, and reflects the relationship between performers and the make-up artists they work with.

Photo: Graeme Braidwood
“When I was approached by Stan’s Cafe to collaborate on Made Up I was immediately intrigued and excited by how ‘live’ make-up applications could work within a story. My task is to design make-up and effects that can be applied fluidly around dialogue, which is a particular challenge in itself. As we’ve set the first stones in place I’m even more fired up about how this will develop and believe we are creating something truly unique!

Having worked in theatre, film and television for over 22 years it’s nice to be able to reflect, analyse and inform about the trusted relationship an actor and their make-up artist have and filter this into a beautiful piece of theatre ” – Andrew Whiteoake, Make Up Designer

Photo: Graeme Braidwood
Prior to the rehearsal process, James travelled to the North East of England to undertake research for the show with groups of women, and talk to them about their relationship with make-up and what it means to them as a part of their daily ritual. These conversations have influenced the play.

“A few years ago a student asked for a work experience placement in our Make Up Department. This request seemed ludicrous, as not only did we not have such a department but also in twenty plus years of making shows we had never once employed a makeup artist. However, this request did set us thinking, what show would we make if we worked with a makeup artist? The answer is Made Up.

Photo: Graeme Braidwood
It’s been fantastic working in rehearsals with the makeup artist, Andy Whiteoak. Together we have been building a sequence of makeup transformations that morph into each other over the course of 70 minutes, then with the actors we are building our show around these looks. It seems like a backwards way of working but it is leading to some exciting ideas we would never otherwise have thought of.” – James Yarker, Artistic Director

Stan’s Cafe is an internationally acclaimed theatre company, which has been devising and touring highly original theatre around the world from its base in Birmingham since 1991. Recent tours have taken the company to The Public Theater (New York), Harbourfront Centre (Toronto), Adelaide Festival, Domaine d’O (Montpellier) and all over the UK. Made Up will commence it’s tour of the North East from May 2016 as part of REACH, the Strategic Touring initiative run by DEP Arts and ARC Stockon Arts Centre.

Cast:
Kate: Emily Holyoake
Sue: Alexis Tuttle

Creative team:
Direction: James Yarker
Make-up Designer: Andy Whiteoak
Lighting Designer: Simon Bond
Design Realisation: Harry Trow
Composer: Nina West
Costume: Kay Wilton

Commission Credits
Produced by Stan’s Cafe with The REP Birmingham
Financial Assistance by Arts Council England


Tickets:
Made Up comes Arts Centre Washington on Thursday 2 and Friday 3 June, 7.30pm.  Tickets are ‘Pay What You Decide’ meaning you can book your tickets as normal but decide what to pay after you have seen the show. To book visit www.artscentrewashington.co.uk or call 0191 561 3455.

North East Tour Dates



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