I am so excited to talk about this, because I am OBSESSED with a great wig. I think they are to be strongly consider when creating a masked Commedia character. Yes, you can do a hat for on the head… but why not consider a wig?!

In performance, Commedia characters are cartoon-like — they are larger than life. The masks are already a heightened version of a person’s face, so the body and physicality of a character are also magnified to match. With that, it must also go that their clothing and hair rise to the occasion and meet them at that high level of expression.

All the information you need for your character is in their mask. When you work with the mask to discover the character’s body, you find angles, curves, levels, points, or bulges that inform the physicality. Keep this in mind with your character’s costume and wig, as well. If you have a character that is lower to the ground, with wide, sweeping movements, they likely will not have hair that is slicked back or with vertical height. They probably have hair that is wilder and poofs out to the sides, and is free to mimic the movements of the character. If you have a character who is uptight, with lots of upward energy (high and tight), their hair may be the same— high, tight, and immovable. Of course, you shouldn’t just intellectualize this, you have to play with it! Experiment, just like you would with physicality, and find what really brings that character to life.

*Even with hair pieces and hats, hair is visible, which means it MUST be a choice!*

This is true for costuming as well. I love a bouffon-esque body, I love a big booty or swinging breasts, but make sure you are not just going for something silly, funny, or with shock value— it has to be a part of that character. That being said, you can go in practically ANY direction. How do you make lanky, knobby lines with costume? Bottom heavy? Top heavy? Slithery? Stiff? Play with it, and help bring your character into their full self.

A loving shout-out to Ragtag Theatre Co. who does amazing work, and whose wig game is ON POINT (so jel)! — *A loving shout-out to* *Ragtag Theatre Co.* *who does amazing work, and whose wig game is ON POINT (so jel)!*

Wigs are expensive (the good ones are), and the truly great wigs you may see at a drag show or on TV are likely hand-made. Don’t let this scare you! We live in the time of YouTube and internet tutorials, and there are SO many talented people who generously share their expertise. PLUS, who says it has to be hair? Or faux hair? Yarn, strips of fabric, cords, I don’t know— put a real birdcage in it! You are not working in the world of Realism, my friend, and your character lives in the world of YES. Let your imagination run, and see what you come up with!

I, personally, am going to venture into some wig combining to see what I am capable of— we will share it around, so keep an eye for that adventure!

*I mean, just LOOK at this glorious piece of hair-chetecture :O*

- ALi

WIGS!!! Or How To Costume & Wig your Characters