The Judis Kiss -wig inspiration/ work experience

The Judas Kiss 11.03.16

Today, myself and Antonella are on our first journey in the wig making world. We are currently sitting on the train talking about what we are worried about and excited about, what to expect and hopefully gain some more knowledge in the industry we have grown to love so much over the past few months.

We have been lucky enough to gain a little work experience with Helen, our wig teacher, to assist her and watch what this side of the industry is like.

I am feeling really nervous and worried that I may get things wrong or not have the best knowledge of the industry. However, I know that everyone starts from the bottom to works their way up, as that is just life really.

I am not sure what to expect from today, but all I know is that this will be the start of my career and hopefully help me fall more in love with the wig world!

So after meeting Helen at the station we went to Tottenham Green Workshops and visited two studios, one by Alex Rouse who specialises in full wig knotting and Sarah Weartherburn

A who specialises in facial hair.

Their studios where beautiful, like going back to school, the building was old and smelt like a canteen, we went up winding stairs and opened the door to a group of women chatting and knotting hair, listening to music also. Along the walls where block heads with actors names on, and on another wall where large wooden draws with little windows in them so you could see all kinds of different hair. I felt like a child in a candy store, completely in my element, surrounded by hair!

We got to talk to some of the women in the room who have many years of experience and saw how they stich the lace together to form the whole head, and see the knotting the hair in place.

We then went upstairs to Sarah’s workshop which was so lovely, large pots on a stove boiling hair on reels and facial hair on tables, picture’s surrounding the room with actors they have made facial hair for. It really made me think that we where in Harry Potter, the feel of it is so old school, I think that is what draws me to it, its quirkily and different, but fun and always interesting.  

I know this is going to sound cliché, but when I was standing there listening to the women, drawing in my surroundings, I felt like this is exactly what I want to do with career. I don’t want to do anything else but learn and become one of the best knotters, and within a company like the one I was standing in, they are all so lovely and enthusiastic about the work which made me think, yes this is for me and I need to get work experience with them asap!

After picking up Rupert Everetts wig from Alex Rouse’s studio we went to The American Church to go to see the performance of The Judas Kiss and help out behind the scenes. We walked into this massive church that looked like a school also, and went into the room where all the producers and actors where and we got to see, shake hand and talk to Cal from Selfridges the Tv series, and he is to die for, and then Rupert Everett, who has the most beautiful voice, he is polite and so sweet and interested in what we are studying, and had such high praise for Helen our teacher which was so lovely to see. After helping out with the wigs and setting some curls in the actresses hair we went and watched the performance, which hadn’t actually been done in over three years so felt very happy to have been part of that. It was such a beautiful and moving play, and acted so well, you believed all the characters where the real people.

After the show was over and we have helped clean up and get all Helens things ready we all headed home. Overall, this was one of the best days I have had, it has opened my eyes to this industry and made me more passionate than ever t get my foot right in the door to be come a wig knotter. This, I hope is the tart of something fantastic!