Tom Scutt’s Into the Woods: When Fabric Tells a Story

Fairy-tale costumes are often imagined as beautiful and perfect. Tom Scutt’s designs for Jordan Fein’s production of Into the Woods at the Bridge Theatre take a different approach. The costumes look worn, faded and as though they belong in the forest itself. Through his choice of fabrics, textures and finishes, Scutt creates a fairy-tale world that feels much darker and more realistic.

What I love about Scutt’s designs is the attention to detail. Frills, ruffs and layered silhouettes give the costumes a traditional fairy-tale feel, while the muted colours and worn surfaces make them feel less polished. The combination creates something that feels familiar but slightly unsettling.

The Witch’s costume is a particularly interesting example. Scutt used a fabric print made from material that had been buried underground, giving it an aged, almost organic appearance. I love how this makes the fabric feel connected to the forest rather than simply designed to look old. It suits the Witch’s character and helps her fit into the darker side of the story.

The production’s cow puppet, Milky White, is another example of how experimenting with materials can transform a design. Although it isn’t technically a costume, I think its construction deserves attention. The puppet was covered in old teddy-bear plush fabric, with stains applied by hand. Teabags and a rock polisher were also used to create its worn appearance. It shows how experimenting with texture and surface treatment can make something feel much more believable on stage.

What stands out to me about Scutt’s work is how much the fabrics contribute to the atmosphere of the production. The layers, muted colours and distressed surfaces make the costumes feel as though they belong in the world of the play. Rather than looking untouched and perfect, they have character and imperfections. For me, that’s what makes the designs so effective. They keep the magic of a fairy tale while giving it a much more worn, believable edge.