auf Deutch !

The Making of a kangaroo costume
 

Why make a kangaroo costume you may wonder ? Going to Essen in Germany in October 2003 to promote the
Kookaburra Game (the game with kangaroos...) we thought it would be a good idea to have a 'more than life' size kangaroo in
order to have people notice the Kookaburra Game !
Of course in Australia it should be easy to hire a kangaroo costume, right ? Well, we did look in a few shops but they were not that good to say the least. Then we asked a few companies that make real good ones (like the Wallaby Rugby team mascot) but the price quoted would have nearly paid for half a new family car.
So Anna (the Kookaburra Game manager) said "I can make one !". After checking that she hadn't been emptying the bottle of Bailey's before making such a bold statement, we said "OK !"
Here are a few pictures to show how she did make one. And well she did !

Trying a kangaroo costume for rent in a shop ... not quite as good as we wanted...

Trying first on a small scale !

The head: don't laugh !

The head is made of papier maché

The whole family helps...

The blue print for the costume ...

beautiful and colourful ... (and so embarassing too ! :-)

The head is finished

Early real size trials with cheap fabric

The size and angle of the tail is important

The tail is taking shape

The legs: a nightmare! it took a week to get the shape right. The shape is very distinct when looking on a kangaroo from the side, yet it must not look fat when looking from the front. These pieces of foam have been sewn inside to make the round shape.

This is one week before departure to Germany. no way back. We must cut the fur now. 5 metres of good quality synthetic fur.

It's scary to cut the fur because it is very difficult or impossible to get a good fix it it's cut too short. And it's pretty expensive stuff!

Some adjustments on the head. The backyard is our workshop !

This is the day before departure. There is still a lot to do. The main reason being that after cutting the fur, we noticed that it was too thick for our sawing machine. So most of the sawing had to be done by hand !

No time to eat. Feeding the worker on the fly !

Last morning. Everybody helps. Here cutting more bits of foam to fill the tail and make it ferm !

Sawing the inside of the back. The back is held like a back-pack.

Some late adjustments to the head.

That's it. Here we are in Europe already. Adding some plastic protection where the tail and feet will touch the floor.

The result in the bush.

Hmmm, kangaroos like a kiss too ...

Of course kangaroos can ride a scooter !

See also The Kookaburra Game in Essen 2003

 

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