Costume and Mask

As noted previously, everything that is visible on the remote stage is potentially noticed by the audience and, because remote theatre doesn't have the luxury of three dimensions (as face-to-face theatre does) what the actors wear can be very important, as it's a powerful way to build a character. Of course, generally what is visible to the audience will be the upper bodies and faces of the actors so this is where we should pay most attention (it may even be okay to be still wearing your pyjama bottoms!)

 It's important to bear in mind too that we want the audience to focus on faces wherever possible, so sometimes having a simple uniform colour worn by the actors (possibly black so that it doesn't clash with the green screen behind) can enable the audience to do this more effectively, without distractions.

Henry the Eighth

 An actor wearing a mask in traditional theatre can be mesmerising to watch but only when the actor looks straight ahead; any moment where the audience is made aware of the fact that there's a mask can break the spell completely. In this sense, because remote theatre is all about looking at the camera, mask work is very well suited to this work.

On the other hand, a play which only uses masks throughout the whole performance, not allowing any opportunities for the audience to appreciate the facial expressions of the actors, may be missing a trick. So , as with so many things related to remote theatre, it’s important not to overdo their usage.

Performing to camera with a mask