From mixing 20 shades of pink to not making the witch heads too scary, a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Theatre’s new production reveals the craft that goes into bringing Roald Dahl’s children’s classic to the stage
Across the hidden hallways, humming workshops and bustling backstage spaces at the National Theatre, preparation is well under way for a musical version of Roald Dahl’s The Witches. Everyone is busy. Very busy. The wham (wigs, hair and makeup) team are working at full capacity on more than 50 wigs, including a fair few that emit smoke on cue. The armoury department has been tackling robotic mice and runaway chefs’ hats for nine long months, the costume department is handling its largest workload in 10 years (300 costumes and counting) and, over in scenic design, the painters have been sampling colours – including 20 different types of pink – since early summer.
(Clockwise from top left) Johanna Coe, costume designer; Kim Kasim, wig maker; Grace Cowie, armoury and special effects technician; and Daina Ennis, set painter
