BEN (as Lounge Singer)

Death of a Salesman (2021)
By Arthur Miller
Directed by Paige Rattray

Upholstery-weight velvet suit, silk shirt, silk jabot

Teresa Negroponte (Costume Designer): "This look was a joy to create.

"The character of Ben is a conjuring of Willy Loman’s memories of his brother. 

"The velvet suit is the third appearance of Ben, in a restaurant, where his presence is mysterious. Is it really Ben, or a charismatic lounge singer? At this point our production had tipped into fantasy, as Willy’s mind begins to unravel.

"The inspiration for this costume came from a 1970s pandemic film, The Omega Man. I found these outrageous stills of Charlton Heston dressed in a lounge suit and pirate shirt, shooting up Zombies in the abandoned LA streets. Paige (Rattray, Director) thought it fit perfectly for that scene, in all its absurdity, so we went for it.

"Sam Perkins (Costume Co-ordinator) and I trawled the upholstery fabric stores in Sydney until we landed on a cotton velvet in an acid avocado colour. Paige and I discussed how it would work with the other elements in the scene and agreed the slightly ‘off’ colour was suitable for the twisted world of the restaurant.

"The costume cutter, Trish Barker and I have worked together previously and she has expert knowledge in men’s tailoring. She’s made costumes for Philip in the past, which was a bonus as she knows how to cut shapes to suit his figure. This made the fitting process smooth, allowing more time for collaborative fine tuning of the design elements, and more time for Philip to play.

"We paired the suit with a black silk shirt and jabot, finished off with a faux diamond pin. I think it had the desired impact in the scene, lifting the energy of the play at a dark moment through song – and Philip wore it so well!"

Made by Patricia Barker; Worn by Philip Quast; 

Philip Quast (Ben): "Paige had this idea that Brigid Zengeni and I would sing the Cole Porter song “It’s De-Lovely” as a scene transition when Willy goes to meet his sons at the club. I haven't laughed so much in a long time as I did in that scene".

"The suit was made for me in a flash. Because of my size most things have to be made. I think it was even upholstery material. I guess you could say I was a ‘lounge singer'".

Mary Anne Lawler (Costumier): "That was couch fabric, so it was incredibly heavy to make".

Scott Fisher (STC Costume Manager): "No couches were harmed in the making of this suit".

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Photos by Joanna Shuen & Prudence Upton