Patrick Du Wors & Robert Leveroos

Identity Agency

Website / Social Media: www.patrickduwors.com www.macromatter.com

“HOW IS YOUR COSTUME AGENTIVE?”

The puppet design explored the dramaturgical role of scale, while the idea of masculinity-as-character was expressed through the costume design.

BIOGRAPHY

Patrick Du Wors (Costume Design)
Patrick Du Wors is an award-winning performance designer, curator and educator working in a wide range of performance styles and scales of production. From site-specific opera, to texts from the classical cannon, to contemporary devised work, Patrick’s work has been recognized across Canada and internationally. Collaborators include: The Banff Centre, Canadian Opera Co, Against the Grain, Ghost River, The Arcola (UK), Theatre Calgary, Alberta Theatre Projects, Buddies in Bad Times, Blue Bridge Rep, The Grand, Persephone, The Belfry, Tarragon as well as various independent ad-hoc collectives. For World Stage Design 2017 Taipei, Patrick served on the International Selection Jury in the Emerging Artist category, and his design for The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst was chosen for exhibition in the Professional category. Patrick designed and curated the Canadian national exhibition at the 2015 Prague Quadrennial (PQ) and curated the international student and emerging artist program, PQ Studio for PQ ‘19. Patrick is a member of the faculty at the University of Victoria, and a member of the Associated Designers of Canada.

Robert Leveroos (Puppet, Set & Prop Design)
Robert Leveroos is a multidisciplinary artist and insatiable tinkerer. Using elements of live art, animation, and handmade objects, he aims to strike imaginations and skew perceptions by exploring worlds where weight is given to the minute, the understated and overlooked to uncover something recognizably human. Under the moniker macromatter, Robert creates original performance pieces for all ages that have been presented in festivals and venues locally and otherwise. He also collaborates as a performer and scenographer with a number of Vancouver and Canadian companies. For ten years he trained with The Children’s Theater Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and graduated from The National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal (acting 2008). Robert served three seasons as Youth Program Manager at The Cultch in East Vancouver, and continues to work with young artists. He holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Simon Fraser University and is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada.

TITLE: Puppet and Costume Design for GIANT

Giant explores the story of wrestler ‘Andre the Giant’. As a way of exploring the hyper-masculine, and yet incredibly flamboyant world of professional wrestling, five female actors played all parts, including Andre.

Skins and shells formed the foundation of our approach. Shapes and textures meant to augment and distort the bodies of the five women inhabiting a very masculine profession were inspired by action figure versions of Andre once sold as toys. In each scene, the performers would attempt to put a different piece of Andre ‘on’ – to wear him as a way to understand him.

Wrestle Mania 3 was a defining moment in North American popular culture and is probed in the final scene of this performance. In this scene, Andre wore an assemblage of individual body pieces. Within this imposing exoskeleton, this actor, who also played Andre’s daughter, was placed in the centre of the man where his heart would have been. Andre’s adversary, Hulk Hogan, was interpreted as if multiplied three times and played by three members of the female ensemble. Both the puppets and costumes had to allow the cast to physically wrestle, and body-slam the giant puppet, which became a symbol of the wrestling legend’s death.

IMAGE CAPTIONS & CREDITS

01
(L-R) Geneviève Paré, Morgan Yamada, and Makambe K. Simamba as “Hulks No. 1, 2 & 3”.
Historic references from 1980s popular culture also inspired elements of the design. Hulk Hogan’s reputation as a “Golden California Steroid Monkey” inspired the gold sequin muscle suits which heightened the extreme theatricality of this already incredibly theatrical character.

Patrick Du Wors & Robert Leveroos, GIANT, 2018
Foto: Tim Ngyuen

02
Makambe K. Simamba as ‘Hulk No. 3’ counts out Jamie Tognazzini (centre) in the ‘Andre’ exoskeleton. Both puppet and costumes had to allow the cast to physically wrestle, and body-slam the giant puppet.

Patrick Du Wors & Robert Leveroos, GIANT, 2018
Foto: Tim Ngyuen

Patrick Du Wors & Robert Leveroos, GIANT, 2018, video,

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