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Joan Simpson - Wardrobe Mistress and Octogenarian

Joan Simpson - Wardrobe Mistress and Octogenarian

"Very daunting at first...but now I just get on with it" was how Joan Simpson describes her service as Wardrobe Mistress for Blackburn Musical Theatre Company. She recalled how she originally signed up to sell a few programmes but as her teenage daughter started appearing regularly in shows and she spent more time back stage, the previous Wardrobe Mistress accosted her and thrust into the world of zips, needles and sequins. That was in 1977 and Joan's still stiching at 80!

Joan Simpson - Wardobe Mistress

Joan originally helped sewing the odd button and dressing the dancers in the chorus. But now, 32 years later, she finds herself making the costumes for all the ladies in a show. Her favourite being the costumes she made for the production of Guys and Dolls.

Joan, who became an Octogenarian in April says "I usually hire the costumes for the men but I make the ladies ones, not always from scratch though". Joan explained that with the hundreds, possibly thousands, of costumes that Blackburn Musical Theatre Company have in storage, quite often costumes can be used again and again for different shows, "just with a little titivating" Joan remarks "its very much like recycling...this is the second time that we have done ‘Anything Goes' and we are using the same costumes for the ladies, just updated a little".

It is obvious that Joan loves what she does, from making to dressing, changing to fixing, she is always on hand with her trusted colleagues to handle any eventuality, from popped buttons to torn trousers and all with the confidence that no job is too complicated or small.

 

Anything Goes,

Monday 4 May - Saturday 9 May 2009

Tickets £12 & £10

Release Date: Tuesday 5 May 2009