
Concept
The Triumph of Love was written by Pierre de Marivaux and was first performed in 1732. The comedy explores gender roles and expectations placed on women in the game of love. The play was written during the Rococo period in France, a time when women were seen as lesser than men and were not in control of their own future. This period was also a time with intricate decoration and fashion with pastel colors as well as elaborate ornamentation and gilding being the trademarks of this era. These styles emerged when Louis XV ruled as a small child. The bright colors and elaborate decorations were meant to please a child’s eye.
The costumes for this show will reflect the playfulness of the Rococo era with its over the top fashion and bright colors and contrast with other dark aspects to highlight Phocion’s deception and ruthlessness to get what she wants. Léontine’s, Hermocrate’s and Agis’s (although Agis’s slightly less dramatic changes) original dress being of a more drab color palette so that as they fall in love with Phocion they add aspects of bright colors and over the top baubles to their outfits until they change into a full bright costume that will accentuate their attributes. The brighter colors and flashier baubles that Léontine and Hermocrate adorn themselves in, reflect the childlike fashion of the Rococo era and their juvinile behavior as Phocion reduces them to love-sick teenagers. Because Agis is attached to Phocion as a person as opposed to Léontine’s and Hermocrate’s more farcicle love (they do not fall in love with Phocion but more the image she projects to them), the additions to his costume will be less pronounced.
Corine, Harlequin and Dimas will be dressed in darker color palettes to convey their involvement in Phocion’s deception while Phocion herself will be adorned in a pastel palette to distinguish herself as one of the upper class but will have small hints of darker colors within her ensemble to mark her as the orchestrator of the deception. The costume design of this show will convey to the audience the complexities of Phocion’s deception as well as the love sick puppies she turns Léontine and Hermocrate into.
The hair and hair accessories of the upper class characters will tie in the Greek setting. The hair for the men will be curly and thick, no white wigs and the women will have curly hair as well with beaded headbands and decorations.