Busy Bee's

As usual Siam's Little Helpers have been busy at work, with more than one production at once costumes have been flying out of the workshop, from WW2 uniforms,1900 mens frock coats and suits to traditional Siamese costumes.

Here you can see Rampai one of our pattern cutters, cutting out some fabric for the WW2 uniforms.

I've caught Sak by surprise as he's constructing one of the men's WW2 tunics, best leave him to it.

Gorya and Nok supply the finishing touches to the traditional Siamese costumes.

Patiently waiting, almost ready.

Sebastian sorting out the financial accounts.

Alexander working on the social networks and marketing.

Not entirely sure what sing is trying to accomplish here, but that's all for today.

January: Whats New?

Having finished working on Russel Crowe’s The Water Diviner last month and on the verge of completing our work on Crimson Peak. Here is what we have and will be working on this month on both TV and the big screen.

 Once again there’s not much we can say on this but it has been confirmed strike back, strikes back with its anticipated 5th season. Strike Back is about The actions of ‘Section 20′, a secretive unit of British military intelligence. A team of special operations personnel conduct several high risk missions throughout the globe.

Siam Costumes are pleased to announce that we will be working on Alex Proyas’s Gods Of Egypt. Alex Proyas has proven himself as a talented director time after time, with well received films such as Dark City, I Robot and Knowing, known for his highly compelling concepts, Gods Of Egypt is set to be another classic. We can’t give away that much at the moment but what we do know is that it will be staring Gerard Butler alongside Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Geoffrey Rush, the story is about a common thief joins a mythical god on a quest through Egypt. We may have to wait a while as currently it is set for a 2016 release.

2013: Theatre and Opera

Now 2013 has came and gone and 2014 is now amongst us, we have the time to reflect on what has been yet another great year. In this post we will purely be focusing on our stage work, that saw its premier this year and a sneak peek into whats to come next year. From finding love in  Nazi occupied Rome or deep in the jungle of the unknown, occupied by dinosaurs and other inscrutable beasts along with many more memorable stage moments of 2013.

1.King Kong-Live on stage

Based on the 1930′s instant classic,King Kong live on stage tells the tale of how beauty killed the beast in an engaging musical form, It received a great reception, praised for being visually stunning with an all round very talented cast, winning many awards including “Outstanding Theatrical Achievement”, “Best Sound Design”and “Best Costume Design” which was awarded to Roger Kirk. Originally being booked from june to July however due to its well deserved success, it has  been rebooked for a third time taking the show all the way to february 2014.  The producer Carmen Pavlovic of Global Creatures told The Times that she anticipates launching a second production of King Kong in 2014, with a third to follow in 2015. Plans have been announced to bring the show to the United States, England, South Korea, Germany, Japan and the Netherlands. So for any one who didn’t get the chance to witness King Kong on stage do not worry, the 8th wonder of the world may set sail for overseas.

2.The Force of Destiny: La Forza Del Destino-Opera Australia

La Forza Del Destino:The force of Destiny is an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on a Spanish drama, Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino (1835), by Ángel de Saavedra, 3rd Duke of Rivas. Presenting Verdi’s most notorious prelude, as Leonora and Alvaro are destined to be with one and another despite her family’s disapproval. They are set to become a one even if it means running away, although they end up far from their desires as they are caught amongst the tide of war. You are invited into a journey of honour and passion merging with vendetta and death, in this historical classic. The Force of Destiny received reviews such as; “This thrilling new production uses the powerful iconography of Spain in richly detailed sets and costumes. An all-star international cast is led by Svetla Vassileva”.

3.The Wizard Of Oz -North American Tour

The Wizard of Oz  a musical based on the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, with a book adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams. The musical uses the Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg songs from the film and includes a variety of new likeable songs and additional music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and additional lyrics by Tim Rice. Starring Danielle Wade as Dorothy, who was chosen by the Canadian public through the very popular CBC TV‘s reality show “Over The Rainbow”, the national tour features the same award-winning creative team from London and Toronto so we can expect another implausible instalment.

4. Tosca-Opera Australia

Opera Australia’s Tosca, Puccini’s riveting drama of a stimulating  combination of love, jealousy and sacrifice.Director John Bell, joins forces with award-winning set designer Michael Scott-Mitchell and costume designer Teresa Negroponte in this pure, unforgettable show. The setting of Tosca as we originally knew was the French invasion of Rome in 1800, director John Bell smoothly adapted it to a Nazi controlled Rome, a very bold move that proved to be an admirable call; “His deeply felt updating of the action to 1943 Nazi occupied Rome is both appropriate and striking, bringing what can seem a schlock costume drama into sharp focus and reminding us of how Puccini’s issues of freedom, love, jealousy and tyranny still resonate today.”

5. Carmen-Opera Australia 

Carmen is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on a novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. You take the director Gale Edwards alongside costume designer Julie Lynch then you have the perfect combination to revisit the exciting world of Carmen. In this breathtaking production from Opera Australia, following the downfall of Don José, just another soldier who was seduced by the seductive, attractive, fierce Gypsy, Carmen. Jose without a second thought abandons his childhood love and his regiment, blinded by what he believes to be love, although Carmens fallen for a captivating toreador Escamillo, Jose is pumping with rage and is looking to take revenge for his broken heart.

Upcoming Next year

Wether metropolitan Opera premiers (February 2014)

Werther is an opera (‘Drame lyrique’) in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann, based on the Germanepistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, based partly on fact and Goethe’s own early life. Jonas Kaufmann stars in the title role of Massenet’s sublime adaptation of Goethe’s revolutionary and tragic romance, opposite Sophie Koch as Charlotte. The new production is directed and designed by Richard Eyre and Rob Howell, the same team that created the Met’s recent hit staging of Carmen. Rising young maestro Alain Altinoglu conducts. Set to make its debut on February next year.

King and I (September 2014)

The King and I is a musical, the fifth by the team of composer Richard Rodgers and dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon, which derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. The musical’s plot relates the experiences of Anna, a British schoolteacher hired as part of the King’s drive to modernize his country.This now legendary production of The King and I won the triple crown of awards: The Tony, the Drama Desk and the Outer Critics Circle for Best Musical Revival. Further Tony and Drama Desk awards included Best Scenic Design and Best Costume Design, and a Laurence Olivier Award nomination. Much-loved Australian actress and four-time Gold Logie winner Lisa McCune plays English governess Anna Leonowens, while internationally acclaimed opera singer Teddy Tahu Rhodes takes on his second musical theatre role as the King of Siam. Set to open at a Gala performance on 10th of September.