Nicholas Nickleby: Meet the team: Alana Ashley

This month we’ve got a series of interviews with cast and crew members from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s forthcoming two-part production of Nicholas Nickleby at Bristol Old Vic (June 14-22).

Our second chat is with Alana Ashley, the show’s costume designer and a graduating MA Theatre Design student. Prior to joining the School, Alana worked in makeup and prosthetics for theatre and television, alongside designing venues, making props and dressing sets for a range of arts and culture festivals. Here, she discusses her vision for Nicholas Nickleby, and how this has been realised for the stage.

Where did you start with the costume design for Nicholas Nickleby?
After preliminary discussions with the directors and Oscar Selfridge, our set designer, we quickly established that we weren’t going to do a historically accurate production. This gave me the freedom and opportunity for greater self-expression.
I researched the period thoroughly, as I intended to keep some strong elements of the 1840s silhouette – I got excited about mixing it up a bit with slightly different cuts, fabrics and styles.

Alana Ashley, costume designer for Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s production of ‘Nicholas Nickleby’

What can the audience expect from your design for the show?
By combining period and contemporary elements, I wanted to create a more modern and stylised look, with hints of a slightly alternative Victorian past. Working closely with Oscar, we were interested to achieve a certain level of decay within the design, so textured fabric and colour ombré are used throughout.
I’ve aimed to help the audience navigate all the characters, while keeping the costume changes minimal and effective, using different colour palettes and various fabrics to help establish different classes, groups and families.

Inside the rehearsal room for ‘Nicholas Nickleby’. Pics: Mark Dawson Photography

What have been the most challenging aspects of the design process? 
As my first professional costume design, the most challenging aspects of the design process has been the sheer scale of the production. With a large cast of 26, all playing multiple roles, keeping track of all the requirements of the text and rehearsal process has been a challenge which required an organised approach.
Working closely with the directors has been essential. Keeping consistency of language throughout the costume scheme has also been important. Luckily I have an excellent pair of costume supervisors and costume department who could see and understand my vision.

What’s it like designing for a 250-year-old theatre?
It has been such a privilege to design for Bristol Old Vic. Being Bristol-based, I have seen many productions on this stage and I am totally blown away that my designs will be up there too.

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s production of Nicholas Nickleby is at Bristol Old Vic from June 14-22, in two parts.
For more info and to book tickets, visit bristololdvic.org.uk/whats-on/nicholas-nickleby-part-one and bristololdvic.org.uk/whats-on/nicholas-nickleby-part-two

Alana’s designs, and those of the other graduating Theatre Design, Scenic Art and Costume students from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School can be seen at the Generate Exhibition at the Royal West England Academy (RWA) from June 28-July 4. 

Read more: Nicholas Nickleby: meet the team: Eve Kershaw