By Grace Hatchell
Now then, pull up a chair and let me tell you something they don’t teach you in drama school.
Well, they might. I didn’t go. The closest I got was our school production of Oliver! where I spent most of the rehearsal period trying not to trip over a broom whilst pretending to be a market trader. My acting career lasted approximately three and a half scenes.
But after years of delivering theatre news up and down the country, I’ve noticed something.
Performers spend a lot of time thinking about what goes on stage, but a surprising amount of success comes from what happens before they ever step into the spotlight.
And yes, that includes what they’re wearing.
From auditions and rehearsals through to costume fittings and opening night, clothing plays a bigger role than many people realise.
Audition Day: Look Like You Belong There
The first thing to understand is that auditions are not fashion shows.
Casting directors are not usually looking for the most expensive outfit in the room. They’re looking for someone who looks professional, prepared and comfortable.
For most auditions, performers want clothing that allows them to move naturally and confidently. Neutral colours are often a safe choice, especially for acting auditions, as they help keep the focus on the performer rather than the outfit.
Dance auditions are slightly different. Here, fitted clothing is often preferred because choreographers need to see movement, posture and technique.
The goal is simple.
You want the people behind the table to remember your performance, not spend the entire audition wondering why you’re dressed like you’ve accidentally wandered in from a fancy-dress party.
Rehearsals: Comfort Becomes King
Rehearsals are where performers earn their living.
A West End performer, touring actor or Fringe artist might spend hours each day standing, stretching, dancing, singing, moving scenery or repeating the same scene over and over again.
Comfortable activewear often becomes the unofficial uniform of the rehearsal room.
Leggings, joggers, T-shirts, sportswear and layers are common sights. Rehearsal rooms can be strange places. One minute everyone is shivering under hoodies. The next minute they’re throwing open windows because somebody has just finished a full dance number and turned the room into a tropical climate.
The key is flexibility.
You need clothing that moves with you rather than against you.
Dancewear Has a Job to Do
Dancers probably understand this better than anyone.
Every item of clothing serves a purpose.
Dance shoes support movement. Leggings allow flexibility. Fitted tops help instructors see alignment and posture.
Good dancewear isn’t about looking glamorous. It’s about helping performers train safely and effectively.
Although I have to admit some dancers manage to look effortlessly stylish whilst rehearsing.
Personally, if you gave me a leotard and asked me to demonstrate a pirouette, you’d be filling in an accident report before lunchtime.
Costume Fittings: The Hidden Work
Audiences often see the finished costume.
What they don’t see is the army of wardrobe teams, costume supervisors and dressers working behind the scenes to make everything function properly.
A costume has to survive quick changes, movement, dancing, sweating, stage combat and sometimes entire tours.
Performers often attend multiple fittings to make sure costumes fit correctly and allow enough movement.
The costume may look beautiful under the lights, but if an actor can’t sit down, breathe properly or raise their arms, changes will need to be made.
The theatre world has learned through experience that comfort and practicality matter just as much as appearance.
The Reality of Quick Changes
One of my favourite backstage facts is how fast some costume changes happen.
We’re not talking minutes.
Sometimes performers have less than a minute to completely transform into another character.
That means costumes are designed with clever fastenings, hidden zips, magnetic closures and all sorts of backstage wizardry.
The audience sees magic.
Backstage sees organised chaos.
What About Underwear?
Now then, before you lot start gossiping, I’m not about to spend this article discussing people’s pants.
What I will say is that the right foundations can make a huge difference to comfort during long rehearsals and performances.
Sports bras, seamless underwear and supportive activewear are all things performers think about far more than audiences realise.
In fact, at Kara & Nessa recently put together a practical guide looking at activewear, support and comfort for performers, dancers and actors. If you’re spending hours rehearsing, it’s worth a look.
Because trust me, performers have enough to worry about without their clothing causing problems halfway through Act Two.
Opening Night: The Easy Part?
By opening night, most of the clothing decisions have already been made.
The audition outfit has done its job.
The rehearsal clothes have survived countless cups of tea and long days.
The costume team have worked their magic.
Now it’s time for the performers to step on stage and do what they do best.
And that’s perhaps the biggest lesson of all.
Good clothing should help a performer forget about their clothing.
Whether it’s an audition room, rehearsal studio, Fringe venue or West End stage, the best outfits are the ones that allow performers to focus entirely on their craft.
The audience might remember the costume.
The performer remembers whether they could actually move in it.
And as somebody who once nearly took out half a school production with an overenthusiastic broom, I can confirm that’s a very important difference indeed.
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