Colour Theory For Emcee

When I think of Emcee, some of the words which come to mind are:

• Defiant- He does not care that his behaviour on stage is controversial, in fact, he seems to revel in it... Defying what is expected by society
• Oppressed- I think outside of work, society in Weimar Berlin would be an oppressive influence on a personality like Emcee and his defiant attitude in work is a response to this; in character whilst hosting at the Kit Kat Klub he can be as overtly sexual as he desires, contrasting with the more reserved persona he would have to adopt in his daily life
• Lusty- This is the trait we see most in Emcee and I would like to avoid portraying him this way as I feel it has been done
• Exuberant- Emcee is a high energy character on stage and is often singing, dancings and cracking jokes; this could be something worth reflecting in my designs

So how does all this translate into colour theory?

Red is commonly associated with the theme of defiance and in her book 'If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die', Patti Bellantoni discusses the significance of James Dean's red jacket in 'Rebel Without A Cause', she says:

"It's important to remember that the 1950s sensibilities kept the idea of sex under wraps and reduced it to a whisper. But that red jacket shouted not only 'sexy', it signalled danger, rage, torment and courage as well. It's the red jacket that gives the cisual power to Dean as the quintessential anti-hero"
Bellantoni, P (2005). If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die. Oxford: Elsevier. 13.

Whilst red is associated with defiance, we often see blue as representative of oppression; on this Bellantoni cites 'Sense and Sensibility' as an example. She says:

"Underneath the rigid rules of social behaviour in Ang Lee's interpretation of Jane Austen's novel lies a psychological world of abject powerlessness. The director very subtly allows us to feel that world- the world of the Dashwood women- by creating an environment dominated by blue. They wear blue, drink tea from blue cups and are closed in by walls that are a faded wedgewood. Even their weather is a pale grey-blue. The persistent presence of the colour provides the emotional context for their plight and influences our sympathetic response to it"

Bellantoni, P (2005). If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die. Oxford: Elsevier. P86. 

I find the contrast between the themes interesting and feel that they would work well as a basis for my Emcee design as he is a defiant character in a world of oppression; his character almost seems to be deliberately overt, making a mockery of the increasingly fascist society of Berlin outside the confines of the Kit Kat Klub.



Picture credit: Anon. (). Rebel Without A Cause. Available:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048545/. Last accessed 27th Nov 2014.

Presentation and Feedback

Feedback for presentation:

• Ideas are exciting but need to be evidenced
• Colour theory links are good but you need to show another point of inspiration is needed- Reference an art movement, film, text... Anything which can demonstrate the process of design
• Include some original drawings and practical experiments both in and out of studio time 

Art Movements In 1920s Germany

When the Nazis rose to power after the Weimar period, much work of great artistic value was lost. Notable art movements of the period included:

Grotesque: Depicting fantastical characters, grotesque and satirical-grotesque artwork was ppular in Weimar Germany. Notable artists of this style include Max Beckmann and Otto Dix.

Expressionism: The art of the individual, expressionism was a genre of art which depicted life from to unique perspective of it's creators; work was often warped imagery, inspired by personal emotions. This genre of art was innovated prior to the first world war and gained following en masse during the 1920s and 30s.

Cabaret and Political Satire: The rise of this art form was centered in Berlin and there are scenes at the Kit Kat Klub in the 'Cabaret' script in which Emcee is depicted as mocking the Nazis.

Surrealism: This art movement is my personal favourite and the work associated with it details the content of dreams and the illogical. The surrealist manifesto states that reason should not exercise control over art. One of the most highly regarded Surrealist painters is Salvador Dali.

The great thing about getting to write a post like this is that I can include some of my favourite artists, one of whom is Edvard Munch. Munch was a great influence on the German Expressionists and is arguably best known for his painting The Scream, which, to me, is the ultimate depiction of spiralling despair.                
                                                                                                                                 

The choice of colours in Munch's 'The Scream' could link back to my colour theory research; with blue present in the background as well as a deep orange which, though it is not quite the defiant red I reference, is still a strong colour which conflicts with the blue. Beyond Munch's use of colour, I feel that the theme of despair in 'The Scream' is fitting to the mood of Weimar Berlin but does not necessarily suit the character of Emcee. 

Moving on from Munch, one of the most influential painters in Germany at the time of the Weimar Republic was Otto Dix whose distinctive style often echoed the bleakness of the day. Having looked at the work of Dix, I find it interesting that many of the figures he painted are of androgynous appearance, as if Dix was using his work to make a point about the oppressive state of society in Berlin as the Nazis rose to power. I think Dix's admiration for the controversial figure relates back to Emcee, a deliberately controversial figure in the Cabaret story. Both the character of Emcee and the paintings of Otto Dix are engineered to make the audience think; this is more obvious in the dark matter of Dix paintings whereas Emcee is, first and foremost an entertainer and, only when we fully consider his character do we see the parallel between the two. This image by Otto Dix is 'The Jeweler Karl Krall' (1923) and depicts Krall's son of the same name with a feminine figure. Interestingly enough, Dix's androgynous portraiture did not extend to images he painted of himself; Dix's self-portraits were conspicuously masculine. I have recreated his 1913 self-portrait in class using grease based supracolour makeup.

On the left we have my version of Dix's portrait (right). I found the surpracolour paints a challenge to use as they blend very easily and by blending them too much you lose the desired effect. I feel that I could improve upon this original attempt by paying more attention to the tones Dix used in the original but practising this techniques was useful and I might consider using this in my final design if I can improve upon my skills.

Lucie-Smith, E (1991). Sexuality In Western Art. 2nd ed. London: Thames and Hudson. p144.

The above image is Egon Schiele's 'A Cardinal Embracing A Nun' (1912). Though this predates the period I was looking at, Schiele demonstrates traits which link him to the German Expressionists. This piece in particular would be considered blasphemous and is clearly intended to be controversial as the figures depicted are bound by vows of celibacy but are clearly shown rejecting these vows and succumbing to passion. I felt the colours in this work were reflective of the themes of oppression, defiance and rebellion. 

Why Do They Want It? Why Do They Want It Now?

I suppose if we are going on the theory I have created, it is reasonable to say that everybody wants freedom of expression. To be oppressed by society would take it's toll emotionally and Emcee would want this pressure to be lifted.

I think going on personal experience, we never have a more true sense of self than at the times we are not allowed to express it. The mask we present to the world in these situations contrasts with who we are inside, making us all too aware of our own façades. I suppose this makes opportunities for self-expression all the more important to Emcee, he wants the chance to show people who he truly is (a privilege most people take for granted) and his only way of achieving this is to adopt the Master of Ceremonies persona which is an enhanced, almost caricature-esque, version of himself.

I suppose this idea of Emcee could almost be compared with Drag Queens and how they build a full character to express that element of themselves.

Well known drag queen RuPaul in character and as himself

Hiramine, B. (2014). The Accidental Transphobia of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'. Available: http://flavorwire.com/446737/the-accidental-transphobia-of-rupauls-drag-race. Last accessed 24 Nov 2014.

What Do They Want?

Emcee's role is to entertain the patrons of the Kit Kat Klub and he seems to be dedicated to this. In order to really connect with the character, we must assume that there is more to him than just the host we see. 

His continually upbeat performances could well be masking an internal conflict; nobody is happy all the time and the darker facets of his character could be incorporated into his makeup. An inner sadness would suggest that his interactions with the audience are a coping mechanism; he is often seen to be making light of everything but that is not a reflection of how he feels inside. 

Weimar Berlin was a period when the Nazi Party were rising to power and homosexuality was frowned upon... Gay men would soon be severely persecuted for their preferences and if we assume that Emcee is bisexual at the very least then we can conclude that this is what he feels a deep sadness about; his time on stage at the klub could be his only outlet for expressing who he truly is. I think Emcee wants to have the same freedom of expression in his every day life that he does on stage. 

What Has Just Happened?

As previously discussed, Emcee would have entered the stage from his dressing room where he would have prepared himself to perform. It is likely that the lengthy process of applying his heavy makeup allowed him time to get into character, mentally preparing to entertain the audience disguised as a woman.

A photo depicting the contrast between the man and his drag alter-ego

Lamont-Djite, T. (2012). Drag Queens: There's One In All Of Us.Available: http://www.beautylish.com/a/vcqpi/drag-queens-theres-one-in-all-of-us. Last accessed 24 Nov 2014.

Where Have They Just Come From?

Part of the difficulty with not having an awful lot of background information for Emcee is having to come up with answers for the questions posed by Stanislavsky's Acting Technique. We don't see much of Emcee outside of The Kit Kat Klub so we can only assume that in this scene he has come onto the stage from the dressing room where he would have prepared himself in the drag costume to join the lineup of the Kit Kat Girls.

A backstage image of cabaret girls (1977)

Ellis, R. (2014). Backstage Dressing Room. Available: http://www.rennieellis.com.au/gallery/decadence/69. Last accessed 24 Nov 2014.

When Is It?

Like the majority of the story, this time of year is winter and life outside The Kit Kat Klub would be decidedly gloomy; aside from the wintry weather, the era is Weimar Republic Germany, a time which was economically and politically difficult. Due to these hard times, people would have sought an escape in the risque nightlife of central Berlin; entertainment thrived in this era, as well as science and art.

1930's Cabaret Girls

Tony, C. (2011). Cap'n's Cabaret. Available: http://www.dieselpunks.org/profiles/blogs/cap-n-s-cabaret-10-wild-wild-weimar. Last accessed 24 Nov 2014.

Chosen Scene- Act Two, Scene One

A short scene with limited dialogue, I have chosen Act Two, Scene One to focus my ideas for Emcee around. In this scene the Kit Kat girls enter to perform a song and it is not until Emcee speaks a line in a deliberately deep voice that we notice he is in the line up disguised as a woman.

I have chosen this scene because it shows just how effeminate Emcee is... He easily blends in with the Kit Kat girls and could therefore be modelled by a woman. I like the element of surprise in this scene, it shows that the character is truly multi-dimensional, making him exciting to design for.

In my mind's eye, I picture Emcee in a similar light to typically androgynous celebrities such as David Bowie and Boy George. Such is the similarity in traits that Bowie has been depicted by women in the past; notably Kate Moss and Tilda Swinton.

Swinton as Bowie. 

Duffty, K. (2014). Kate Moss and Tilda Swinton as David Bowie.Available: http://rebelrebelantistyle.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/kate-moss-and-tilda-swinton-as-david.html. Last accessed 24 Nov 2014.

Focus Character: Emcee, Who Is He?

The character I have chosen to design my contemporary look for is Emcee, the Master of Ceremonies who hosts the Cabaret at The Kit Kat Klub. Ordinarily portrayed as wearing a heavy application of clown-like make-up, Emcee is a gender-questionable character; he is flamboyant, overtly sexual and entertaining yet mysterious.

I will be basing my interpretation of Emcee on Kabuki, an infamous member of the Club Culture era who was known for his outlandish costumes and impressive makeup.

Perhaps the most notable Emcee is Alan Cumming who played him in the stage production on several occasions. The picture on the right of Cumming in his Emcee character dress shows him wearing an almost bondage- like harness, a nod to the character's uninhibited sense of sexuality and that of the era. Smoking a cigarette (which would have been fashionable in the 1920s) and staring into some distant corner, it is clear to see that our Emcee is fabulous and yet a total enigma.

I enjoy this veiled quality to the character; we don't seem to know much about him which I feel could prove tricky to design for but will allow creative freedom.

In the 1972 film version of Cabaret (Directed by Bob Fosse), Emcee is played by Joel Grey who would have been in his late 30's to early 40's at the time and I feel this is appropriate to the character as his experience would translate into his risque performances.

Despite being effeminate, Emcee's sexuality is undisclosed which allows us to interpret him in our own way; for me, in the decadent and debauched world of Weimar Berlin, I feel that Emcee would have been Pansexual- unrestricted by gender of gender identity, an idea which will allow a broad approach to the design process.

Club Kids- A Celebration of Sin

Going forward into the contemporary design process, I'm looking at the Club Culture of the 1980s as it appears there are similarities between this era in New York City and 1920s Weimar Berlin.

Noted for their outlandish costumes and brazen recreational drug use, the Club Kids were subject to both criticism and admiration. In a slightly warped sense, these people were seen as celebrities of the club culture scene, notorious for their lives of decadence and excess.

Kabuki, one of the original Club Kids

Unknown. (2013). Boundless Innovation. Available: http://imgfave.com/view/4062650. Last accessed 24 Nov 2014.

If the fictional Kit Kat club is Cabaret's home of risque nightlife, it's real-life counterpart has to be The Limelight club in New York. Part of the Limelight chain, this venue was the most infamous of it's type. Formerly a church, the building was acquired by the club chain in 1982 but it was not until 1996 that the club was met with the full glare of media attention when it was linked to the murder of a drug dealer who frequented the venue. Having gained nototiety, it is no surprise that the club is still talked about today:

"I'm bored with that line. I never use it anymore. My new line is “In 15 minutes everybody will be famous”. 

              - Andy Warhol

Warhol, the god-like genius of pop art who in November 1983 hosted the opening night of the Limelight club in New York, had presciently foreseen the democratization of fame in his now iconic one line manifesto in 1968, later riffing on his own credo out of frustration with its journey into cliché.

The Limelight spun that riff into a gyrating, vinyl clad, gender-bending, genre-hopping, and rhythm-soaked reality. It literally hummed with the electricity flowing from the sense that everyone in that wild church of emancipated hedonism was on the cusp of leaping with simultaneous and euphoric abandon through the looking glass of fame - just being there was celebrity itself."

Stewart, B. (). Limelight- Peter Gatien, Un Peu D'Histoire. Available: http://www.culturedivine.com/limelight.html. Last accessed 24 Nov 2014.

This extract on the activities The Limelight was so famous for, really emphasises the similarities between Club Culture and Weimar Berlin. The term "gender-bending" conjures images of Cabaret's Emcee, my focus character for the contemporary look and was clearly a stand-out feature of many of the Club Kids. As Emcee is gender questionable, I find the idea of Drag Makeup a good route of research for the character. So infamous were the original Club Kids that the style is being emulated today by a group calling themselves the Screaming Queens who can be hired as entertainment for parties. 

One of the "Screaming Queens"

Unknown. (). Club Kids. Available: http://www.screamingqueens.com/club_kids. Last accessed 24 Nov 2014.

I am considering Kabuki's pale complexion with bright contouring as possible inspiration for my contemporary interpretation of Emcee. 

Creating Nicole's Design

In the second assesment, I created Nicole's design for Fraulein Kost on Libby. The concept for this design was that Kost had just got up- She had been out the night before and worn her hair and make-up to bed.

When I practiced putting the rolls into the hair on my doll's head, I felt it when much better than it did in the assessment. I feel I would benefit from further practice of hair techniques to enable me to create more polished results. 

My Design, Created by Nicole

During the first timed assessment, Nicole produced my design on me. Though I was generally satisfied with my idea, I feel I could have developed it better. I continue to struggle with hair techniques and feel this is something I will need to build on in order to improve my design work- a better understanding of hair will allow me to produce more complex, visually impressive designs. I would have preferred to use someone else as a model for this as I feel I could have produced a better design on someone with longer hair... Had I attempted to find a model sooner, this would have helped so in future I will improve my time management with regards to assessment preparation.

Translating Research Into Design: How Does the Character's Lifestyle Affect Make-up?

As previously discussed, Sally's excessive lifestyle would take it's toll on her physical appearance. Bearing this in mind and also the way the original text describes her heavy makeup, I have produced a moodboard to reflect my ideas for Sally.

Considering the images I have chosen and the text that inspired my imagined depiction of Sally, I have made the following design decisions:

• Do not include green nails- to do so will be too time consuming in the assessment
• Keep lips cherry red as described in the book
• Lips will have a chapped appearance- my chosen scene is in winter and chapped lips will reflect this as well as dehydration, brought on by Sally's alcohol intake and morning sickness
• Bloodshot eyes- the text describes Sally's eyes as having "a boiled appearance" as a result of her heavy drinking, lack of sleep and probably morning sickness
• A smokey purple eye- As a nod to Sally's purple dress (discussed in my colour theory research)
• Generally heavy application of makeup- As described in the text. Skin to look dull and flat
• Girlish hair- Sally is still young and this is easily forgotten given the way her character is written. Keeping an element of naivety will better express the facets of Sally's personality.

Bearing my design decisions in mind, I have produced this face chart reflecting the basic idea. I will go on to develop this in a little more detail. 

Personal Reflection and Progression

After a recent tutorial with Sharon regarding my work for the other unit, I have looked critically at what I have produced in this one and have applied some of the suggestions for improvement in the other assignment to this one as well. I am aware that I have struggled with time management in this project and this has led to difficulties in the design process. I feel that in learning to manage my time better, I will be able to produce more visually impressive designs and subsequently more skilled outcomes. In order to achieve this I need to complete the following tasks:

• Add visuals into research for Sally- There are not enough images. Consider further use of images in all research going forwards
• Publish the moodboard which informed my designs- People need to see this in order to undestand the characters I have created
• Write reflectively on my work throughout the creative process- Think critically. What could I improve? How? What have I done well? Could I build upon this? How?
• Catch up on work missed- I was absent for the Anita Berber continuity work but have partnered with Leonie who is also yet to complete this. With this in mind, I will complete the look this Wednesday and the continuity run the following week in order to get this done in time for deadline and within the guidelines set.
• Diversify research sources- utilise the library!
• Include more practical posts- I need to show that I have practised my design ideas and am able to write critically on these to improve my outcomes and demonstrate that I am approaching work on a practical level. 
• Ensure all final outcomes are published on the blog with critical evaluations on the process. Consider areas for improvement as well as strengths

How Do You Understand the Role? Key Words and Summary

Sally's role in the play represents the decadence of the era; Bowles is a fantasist, displaying frivolous and debauched behaviour which ultimately leads her to a fall from grace with the pregnancy and subsequent abortion.

Previously, it is clear that Sally thinks her flightiness is smart- she brags about this a lot until she realises she is pregnant and unsure of who has fathered the child... On this realisation she attempts to dismiss it as a joke but I believe this to be part of the façade she presents to the world.

When discussing the fact that her intention is to have an abortion, Cliff asks Sally if she has done this before and she responds that she has "thousands of times." This attitude to the predicament she is in masks Sally's true feelings.

In the original text, Sally is described during this period as wearing increasingly heavy make-up; this could reflect her desire to hide from the world, covering up her true self from those around her but could also be a result of her lifestyle of excess As Sally is a heavy smoker her skin would probably be dull, the continual drinking and morning sickness would lead to bloodshot eyes and she would attempt to detract attention from this with thick make-up, causing herself to appear more sickly in the process.

What Will Happen If They Don't Get It Now?

By reading on from the chosen scene, we can establish that Sally has an abortion as a consequence of her unstable personal circumstances. However, further research into Weimar Berlin tells us that this move forwards is risky for Sally. According to what I have read, abortion in Germany was illegal in the early 20th Century; despite wide discussion about reversing this, sentences for abortion were reduced during the Weimar Republic period and abortion was only legal in cases where the life of the mother jeopardised by the pregnancy.

Despite laws preventing abortion, studies show that it was still a reasonably common practice and that population was in steep decline due to use of contraceptives and illegally performed terminations. According to an article in the New Oxford Review:

"Contraception, of course, was not foolproof, so abortions multiplied and "official disapproval" of them faltered. In 1917 new guidelines set forth by the Reich Health Council allowed abortions "on the strictest health grounds," only if approved by two doctors. In 1926 the law on abortions was mollified, and in 1927 the Supreme Court allowed doctors to perform "therapeutic" abortions. German law on abortion became "one of the most liberal in the world" because doctors could easily convince officials that any abortion was necessary for "health" reasons."

Barbeau Gardiner, A. (2009). The Road to Hitler Was Paved With Abortions. Available: http://www.newoxfordreview.org/reviews.jsp?did=1209-gardiner. Last accessed 23rd Oct 2014.


The need for the procedure to be approved by two doctors would have been financially strenuous in times which were already economically difficult; Germany had been through a period of hyperinflation, meaning the currency (the German Mark) declined in value and the cost of living increased. The financial implications of abortion are mentioned in the script and discussed at length in the book... As Sally is unemployed, financial stress would possibly have an affect on her appearance as well as the initial symptoms of pregnancy. 

Why Do They Want It? Why Do They Want It Now?

Obviously Sally's desire to be loved and settle down is not entirely linked to her pregnancy- I think a feeling like that would take time to develop but as Sally has suspected she may be pregnant for some time, confirming the fact will have put her in a vulnerable position. When we are vulnerable, support is one of our core needs and I think Sally believes that the support of a loving partner would solve all of her troubles. If Sally was in a relationship with the father of her unborn child, she would not need to consider abortion as an option- or, at least, this is how Sally views a relationship but she could simply be thinking in an idealistic way; nevertheless, Sally wants love more that ever right now because she sees this as a way of gaining security and avoiding the dilemma of whether or not to continue with her pregnancy.

What Do They Want?

Sally is a character who makes me feel sad for her- She comes across as brash and flighty, having brief affairs with a variety of men but I believe that what Sally truly desires is a loving relationship. In my chosen scene, Sally and Cliff are discussing what he can write his book about; Cliff suggest writing about her and Sally responds with the following:

"Of course! I told you I'd inspire you! "The Affairs of Sally." But make me ravishing and sublimely seductive- so no man can resist me- not even a very handsome, rather strange, young American... Who allows me to share his room... and his bed- and falls desperately in love with me! (Pause) This is fiction! A guaranteed bestseller!"

Masteroff, J & Ebb, F. (1967). Prompt Book, Cabaret. Available: http://nutic.wikispaces.com/file/view/CABARET+Script.pdf. Last accessed 23rd Oct 2014. 

If we take this extract at face value, this is an idea that Sally has invented merely to inspire Cliff's writing; however, if we read between the lines, I think we can see that it is much more than this to her. We know that her idea for the novel is partly based in truth- Sally is prone to many affairs... and I think it safe to assume that the slant of a love story she puts on this is based on a deep-rooted desire for love. Having just found that she is pregnant, Sally would be feeling vulnerable... No steady relationship to rely on, limiting her options and backing her into a corner. I think the most notable part of the above quote is the stage direction when Sally pauses... She has expressed this idea that someone could love her and then cuts off her train of thought, eventually continuing to dismiss the idea as fiction which would be the stuff of great acclaim. I think this dismissal of the relationship she talks about is a front to cover her vulnerability, she has shown a glimpse of her true self, beneath the façade and quickly back tracks to cover this up. Another reason that she might do this is because she is aware of the fact that keeping the baby is not an option, even though this is probably what she wants- covering the desire for love as a mistake will make it easier for her to pretend that an abortion is what she wants, avoiding questions from those closest to her.  

Sally's previous scene- Where has she just come from?

Looking back through the script, the scene that Sally appears in immediately prior to the one I have chosen is Act One, Scene Five. This scene, like Scene Nine, also takes place in Cliff' room but the two are not alone; instead, they are joined by Ernst who is having an English lesson and later Fraulein Schneider. Sally enters the room part way through the scene wearing a fur coat and smoking a cigarette in a rather long cigarette holder; she is in seemingly rather high spirits which conflicts with the stage directions in my chosen scene. As there is such a conflict between my chosen scene and Sally's previous one, I have decided to construct an idea of where Sally has come from when she enters Cliff's room in Scene Nine; the stage directions for the scene read as follows:

Masteroff, J & Ebb, F. (1967). Prompt Book, Cabaret. Available: http://nutic.wikispaces.com/file/view/CABARET+Script.pdf. Last accessed 23rd Oct 2014.

As Sally has just confirmed her pregnancy in this scene, it is reasonable to assume that she has come from the Doctor's surgery. Clearly in a state of shock, despite being a heavy drinker anyway, Sally comes in and pours herself a shot of gin immediately regardless of knowing that she is pregnant. Perhaps Sally's decision to drink here is down to "dutch courage" as she has yet to tell Cliff the news.