Hilary Talbot

King Jack, 2003

I was the show designer, and maker of masks and costumes in this production by Canberra Youth Theatre. King Jack was produced for Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, headlining their Spring Regeneration Festival which celebrated the re-opening of the reserve after the devastating bushfires in January 2003.

These masks were built by making a thin layer of papermache over a clay sculpture, and then stretching felt over the top. The felt was saturated in PVA glue first, so that it dried and stuck in shape. A papermache face mask was then built into the inside of the mask, so that the wearer's face fitted close into the right place. This technique makes for a pleasingly strong and lightweight mask.