THE PERSECUTION AND ASSASSINATION

OF JEAN-PAUL MARAT

2022

  • THE PERSECUTION AND ASSASSINATION OF JEAN-PAUL MARAT is a play played by inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade between 1801-1814, France. As the play progresses, the inmates become more and more possessed by the violence of the play and become extremely difficult to control. Finally, all chaos breaks loose.

  • Conceptualised and brought to life two distinct characters:

    An asylum patient from a historical period, accompanied by a puppet tied to their narrative.

    A spoiled rich daughter in a contemporary setting.

    Collaborated with a costume student to create a full character.

    Designed, crafted & applied a custom-made gelatine prosthetic for the asylum character, handling every step from concept development to final application.

    Solved a last-minute challenge by creating a gelatin neck burn when the costume design was unexpectedly changed.

    Designed and built a puppet, integrating its visual and thematic elements with the asylum character to create a cohesive narrative.

    Quickly adapted to a last-minute design challenge for the contemporary-style spoiled daughter character.

  • Photographer: Peter Evers

  • This character is inspired by the notorious gang known as ‘The Chauffeurs’ who terrorised homes during the Revolution by burning their victims' feet in fireplaces. My design portrays a victim who defied their attackers.

    In retaliation, the gang escalated their brutality, forcing the side of their face into the fireplace as a cruel punishment. The resulting burns became a central feature of the character, visually representing the horror of the attack and the resilience of someone who dared to resist.

    This character was sent to an asylum in 1800s France, where their severe disfigurement, seen as a combination of physical deformity and perceived mental instability, led to their confinement.

  • The Merchant Candle Wax Seller puppet, created by an asylum patient, is a haunting representation of the trauma and the transformation of suffering. The character is designed with melted wax drips and bulging eyes, it symbolises the burn victim’s melted skin, capturing both the terror and pain of their past, which continues to haunt them.

  • A New Money socialite with a rude, obnoxious, and pretentious attitude, she thrives on attention and luxury. Her appearance, inspired by 21st-century standards, reflects her wealth, with surgery enhancements and fillers that exaggerate her beauty to an artificial degree. A product of privilege, she flaunts her status while disregarding the feelings of the asylum patients, seeing them more as entertainment than people. This contemporary rendition of excess and entitlement highlights the contrast between her world and the patients.