Breaking in slowly

Seeing as I haven't written since February I need to get back into the swing of it.

FEAST your eyes

Conductivity

Another recent project, further from my theatre comfort zone was this unstoppable collaboration between Vauxhall Fashion Scout, James Small, and Frsh Production. The result was a viral featuring Fazer of NDubz, model Zara Martin, some of James Small previous collections, under the direction of Jak Frsh. Concept design and art direction by my talented sibling Noam Piper.

I sourced and made the costumes for the video, the initial influence being a futuristic, Daft Punk-esque look. I used El Wire which I sewed into the costume and the helmets. 

There was a catwalk of James AW 2012-13 collection at the Freemasons Hall followed by an afterparty at the Corinthia Hotel. You can browse pappy stuff at your leisure here.

Back to Blog

Dear friends who are still loyally following me (and probably obsessively awaiting a new post, refreshing every few seconds - how can I be wrong about this?)

I'm alive and back on blogsphere, although between you and me looking to move & expand...

But without further ado, to the visuals! And the reason for my extended quiet.

The world of darkness, incest, cruelty, revenge and somewhere in there...love has swallowed me up for the past 8 weeks. The Duchess of Malfi finally opened at the Greenwich Playhouse. It marks Galleon Theatre's last ever performance at that venue before moving to better and brighter pastures. It was a blast - read one of the first reviews here (with special costume mention).

Directed by Bruce Jamieson

Produced by Alice de Souza

Set Design by Charlotte Randell

Lighting: Philip Jones

Wild Swans

 

Thanks to Ben Vardy for the photos of this week's Wild Swans workshop. This is going to be an unmissable production, hitting the Young Vic in April 2012.  Designed by Miriam Buether, under the direction of Sacha Wares and two equally fantastic movement directors Joanne Fong and Leon Baugh, a group of us young designers and directors stood in for a community chorus on the rehearsal set. We scattered and shoveled soil, we were Chinese markets sellers and nonchalant shoppers, we were concrete layers and all-important movers of set, we were janitors, nurses, wardens, patients, revolutionary members, Red Guards...you name it. 

What a fantastic week working so closely to the creatives on this production and meeting such equally-engaged, inquisitive and often hilarious minds. This is something not to be missed. Read more about it here.

Two plays

I saw recently. I am loving making time to go to the theatre regularly. My pocket isn't quite keeping up with my wishes, but there are too many good shows around London at the moment to watch the piggy bank grow thin.

I am not apt at reviewing performances, but I stumbled upon this sweet blog.

Juno and the Paycock at the National Theatre was rather long and predictable...although I suppose a solid show with good performances. For theatre, it's got to enlighten me. And this one just didn't.

At the Gate in Notting Hill, I saw Yerma directed by Natalie Abrahami who is putting on more powerful work as joint artistic director. The design by Ruth Suttcliffe worked well too. I worked with Ruth briefly at college and was reminded of her detail and finish when I saw this play. Recommended. What's more, Hasan Dixon who plays Juan graduated from my school in 2008 (Central School of Speech and Drama) and great to see him perform professionally.

CHOC

At last a recipe post! I haven't been cooking so much as throwing anything I can find into tupperware and running off somewhere, or nibbling on crackers at strange times throughout the day. Not a meal but irresistible accompaniment to afternoon tea or coffee.

Taken from this lovely lady

Beacon Hill Cookies

Ingredients

• 100g 70% dark chocolate
• 2 egg whites
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 50g fruit sugar (or 70g caster sugar)
• 30g cocoa powder
• 50g chopped hazelnuts
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Heat the oven to 180C. Melt the chocolate over a bain marie or in the microwave. In  a large mixing bowl whisk together the egg whites until they reach soft peaks. Tablespoon by tablespoon add in the cream of tartar and sugar.

Fold the cooled chocolate, nuts and vanilla and cocoa powder into the mixture.

Onto parchment lined baking sheets drop teaspoons full of the mixture onto the parchment leaving 4cm around each dollop.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly cracked on top. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

I adapted the recipe slightly to use less cocoa powder as these cookies prove to be already a serious chocolate hit. The Hazelnuts add perfect crunch (and protein) and the egg white mixture means they stay gooey for ages. Sooo damn good. 

Definitely want to attempt this next.

Smokin Tweens

For the smoking ban in Brussels by photographer Frieke Janssens.
Full series here.