Jeff Recommended Jeeves Intervenes opened at First Folio Shakespeare Festival this weekend to full houses and rave reviews!Jeeves Intervenes is a hilarious adaptation based on P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster series.
Hapless Bertie Wooster is in the grips of his Aunt Agatha's talons as he becomes entangled in an unwanted engagement to the girlishly romantic Gertrude Winklesworth-Bode. Bertie's old prep-school chum, Eustace Bassington-Bassington, is caught deceiving his Uncle Rupert at the same time as he tries to win Gertrude as his own. ...and just as events seem beyond repair, Bertie's ingenious valet, Jeeves, smooths over all "misapprehensions" and dissipates any hard feelings.While staying within the style and silhouette of the 1920s, I used the costumes to further the comedy of the play.
Jeeves is dressed in blacks, grays, and white in the unofficial uniform of an English valet.
Bertie and Eustace wear pin-striped suits, typical of young English men "cursed with too much money, too little character, and virtually no brain whatsoever" (as Aunt Agatha would put it.)
Bertie's navy suit and red tie are brighter and reflect with bold contrast Bertie's attitude towards his life and duties, while the more unassertive Eustace wears a slightly nerdy green sweater vest and pale yellow tie under his gray suit.
'Jeeves Intervenes' is full of warm, vibrant, and lively characters set against a cold background. Gertrude is a very pink and girlish character with a very straight edge. For the first act, Gertrude is in a shorted pleated pink dress, a sparkly sweater
and fur wrap.I built a peachy-pink gown for Gertrude in the second act.
"Set designer Angela Miller's ice blue and snow white accents make Bertie's upscale, London flat suitably wintry, while costume designer Elsa Hiltner injects a shock of peach (for flirty Gertie) among the proper gray pinstripes." -from Barbara Vitello's review in The Daily Herald.
Aunt Agatha's clothing is as fussy as she is. I used high collars to illustrate Aunt Agatha's uptight view of social roles. I added a large high standing fur collar to Agatha's overcoat to aid in her dominating presence.
For both Aunt Agatha and Uncle Rupert I used line and styles from the turn of the century as well as the 1920s to influence their costumes. This helped to reflect their admiration for traditional values and family hierarchy.
Uncle Rupert arrives to London wearing a frock coat and top hat over his trousers, shirt, and vest. In the second act, as Rupert is on his way to a military reunion dinner, he enters in a kilt, and tail coat covered in military medals.Here are some reviews for Jeeves Intervenes:
ChicagoCritic.com, 2/2/08 - 'Jeeves Intervenes'
Chicago Tribune, 2/19/08- 'Jeeves' brightens a dull winter
The Doings-Hinsdale, 2/14/08 -'Jeeves' is the next best thing to having your own gentleman's gentleman
The Daily Herald, 2/18/08 -First Folio pulls off sharp revival of comedy of manners
SteadstyleChicago.com - 'Jeeves Intervenes'
Windy City Times, 2/13/08 - 'Jeeves Intervenes'
Jeeves Intervenes runs through March 2 at the Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook, IL. For tickets, and to see more photos, please see the First Folio website!
Photos thanks to David Rice.
