BY VIRTUE of being a tall teenager in the 1950s, sewing was a skill Phyl Braybrook had to learn.
But what started off as a way of fitting in with her peers — especially when hemlines dropped — has stood Phyl in good stead for the rest of her life.
As the resident seamstress at the Swan Hill Theatre Group for the past thirty years, Phyl holds the difficult job of making productions come alive. responsible for translating screen to stage.
Upcoming production Legally Blonde boasts a full cast list of 35 members, and when you consider many characters have three or four costume changes, Phyl has her work cut out for her — finding or making around 150 costumes.
But with the help of Bet Jenvey — who has been involved with the theatre since its inception in 1943 — Phyl got creative as she hunted for the right clothes for the musical comedy set in the early 2000s.
Phyl and Bet scoured the Swan Hill op shops, searching for lots and lots of pink, hired some especially elusive costumes from Ballarat and when the going got tough, Phyl got sewing, notably constructing Elle’s infamous bunny costume, complete with fluffy tail.
Bet describes Phyl as a perfectionist, but as Phyl puts it — each production requires a certain attention to detail.
“I enjoy sewing,” she says.
“Swan Hill Theatre Group has a high standard and you need to keep that.”
Over the years both ladies have been involved in a variety of musicals, but it’s Hello, Dolly! — a turn of the century musical set in New York — that remains Phyl’s favourite production due to the elaborate costumes and intricate sewing.
However, Phyl says costumes like the ones from Hello, Dolly! don’t come around so often anymore.
“Sewing has become a lost art,” says Phyl.
“Even our fabric shop [in Swan Hill] doesn’t have a lot of material.”
“It’s a shame — you can be very individual when you do your own sewing.”
And though you might think Phyl and Bet deserve a rest after closing night — there will still be work to be done.
“We sort out the costumes after the show,” says Phyl.
“We wash them, iron them, sort them and bring them back.”
“Our wardrobe room’s full,” laughs Bet.
“We want another room.”
For more entertainment news, pick up a copy of Friday’s Guardian (October 9).
