It’s panto all year round for Sue, oh yes it is!

Stour and AvonDecember 2, 20220 Comment0

by Lorraine Gibson.

Most of us try to not think about Christmas until at least December, but Christchurch-based Carry on Costumes has been knee-deep in sequins and tulle since February!
Behind the door of an unremarkable industrial unit, lies a small family business that’s an Aladdin’s Cave of costumes designed for some of the best-loved pantomimes and West End musicals.
Among the dazzling outfits they’ve created are an outrageous panto dame ensemble for comedian Paul O’Grady as Window Twanky, show-stopping costumes for Cinderella with Christopher Biggins and Return Of Santa with Roy Barraclough at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre. A recent highlight was the stunning costumes for Bournemouth-based Michael Rose’s production of Elf at London’s Dominion Theatre, which saw Carry on Costumes make its West End debut.

Founder Sue Simmerling has more than 40 years’ experience as a costumier.
Now 65, she went to fashion college straight from school, despite a teacher telling her she’d be ‘married by the time she was 17, so a career choice didn’t matter.’
Sue explains: “I studied for five years for a degree in Fashion and Design but the real apprenticeship begins when you start in a workroom, working from the bottom up.
“I couldn’t afford to live in London so I started my own fashion clothing brand with a fellow student and we sold into small, independent boutiques in Dorset and Hampshire.”
A chance conversation led to Sue meeting the cruise director of P&O’s Canberra who was launching on-board shows. At 21, she packed her sewing machine and went to sea as one of the first-ever cruise costumiers.

Sue recalls: “I had no workroom. I had to cut out cloth on the floor of my cabin, sometimes in a force 10 gale.”
The small-scale soiree of songs from My Fair Lady featured Sue’s beautiful Ascot gavotte costumes and was an instant hit. She found herself in great demand and the productions evolved into full-scale shows across the fleet.

Thirty-eight years later and back on dry land, Sue still designs for cruise companies. Daughters Ellie and Carly work alongside her and friend Kate Richards runs the admin side.
They also work for the BBC, ITV, Sky, Disney and music channels, making costumes for pop videos, game shows and adverts. They produce hire attire for amateur theatre groups, including the incredible outfits featured in Priscilla Queen of the Desert by BBLOC (Bournemouth and Boscombe Light Operatic).
On top of all that, they founded and run the Glad Rags Production Company. Launched in 2012, it produces an annual Christmas Spectacular at Christchurch’s Regent Centre. The script, choreography, musical direction and, of course, the costumes are created by Sue and her daughters, who also appear in the show.
“We started 10 years ago because we wanted to do a project that we have control over. We’re lucky to work for glamorous shows with big stars but I’m most proud of the Spectaculars which feature local performers.
“Families come year after year and it’s lovely that the they have become part of their festive traditions. It’s a crazy time but we love it and have so much fun.’’