Costume as symbolism
Costume may be a drab colour in a period play because of the restrictions of the sumptuary laws or, on the other hand, be very bright. This might be because of the desire to make a character stand out as a rich noble. In a modern setting, a costume may be very bright, because the character is very happy and the other characters in the play are not.
Someone may be dressed in white to make them appear innocent and virtuous or it may be to make them stand out against the overall design. Typically this might happen in a 19th-century theatrical style involving high drama, stock characters (heroes and villains), songs/music and the triumph of good over evil..
There may be a complex series of metaphorical links for the different clothes used in a production. It’s fair to say that if you noticed use of colour in costume there will be something worth saying about it. It’s no coincidence that actor, Michael Sheen, when portraying Christ in National Theatre Wales’s acclaimed production, The Passion, was dressed in white, which is a symbol of purity and innocence.
