Two Planks and My Passion: medieval mask-making from conception to reality

As a theatre major specializing in costume design, I have always been fascinated by different historical eras and their reflection in society, most notably the Middle Ages. This winter quarter, when OSU decided to stage Anthony Minghella's play Two Planks and a Passion , set in 1392 York, I seized the opportunity to combine my love of the medieval with my interest in mask-making.   Through an independent study with costume designer Kristine Kearney, I researched, designed, and constructed four artifacts for the production: two half-masks (of God and King Herod) and two crowns of thorns, which were worn during the performance of the York Cycle Plays within the play.  

I began by researching medieval York's mystery plays. These told the entire Biblical story through 48 pageants, each performed by different guilds.   Because the plays were social events and status markers, guilds took great pride in them. Thoroughly analyzing the script of Two Planks, I recorded my impressions of characters and personalities, specific references to pageant masks and crowns, and underlying themes of social climbing and aristocratic snobbery. My research included numerous books on fourteenth-century medieval English fashion and dress, concentrating on embellishments, hairstyles, and headwear.   Additionally, I scrutinized religious iconography and period depictions of Herod and the passion of Jesus, noting halos and crowns. Finally, inspirational images online sparked my creativity and helped bring all of my design elements together.  

I created renderings of each artifact in colored pencil and chalk pastel.   In my design process, I was faced with the challenge of accurately representing the historical era and following the script while simultaneously making the features bold enough so that they would "read" in a 600-seat auditorium. Because no actual pictures of such medieval artifacts exist, I enjoyed some artistic freedom, yet still had to consider the needs of the actors.

To mimic the various looks I desired, I gathered numerous inexpensive, durable materials. The crowns were created from scratch; the God and Herod masks were constructed by cutting, reshaping, and remodeling the features of extant masks, then covering them with textured treatments. Following stage makeup principles of facial contouring, I painted each half-mask to enhance three-dimensional features. Embellishments such as beads, gems, and wire were glued or sewn onto the masks.  

Throughout this process, I learned more efficient, effective methods of mask and headwear construction and developed an eye for how the final result would "read" onstage. I realized the time-consuming demands of any design process as a series of constant researching and reworking.   The final pieces successfully aided in creating the world of the play and enhancing its underlying themes.   Additionally, they supported the actors' efforts to create and maintain a believable character.   Perhaps most importantly, they reignited my passion for theatre. 

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