The man behind the wigs

The Addie recently found that it is actually possible after sitting down with wig master, Colin Muir (64).

Selection Park resident and wig master, Colin Muir has been making wigs since the 1960s.

Having worked on many a stage production and even some movies, he has made a name for himself.

He has worked on stage productions on both a national and international scale.

International stage productions he has worked on include Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, We Will Rock You and Dirty Dancing.

When asked what his favourite was, Colin simply said, “I don’t have a favourite, they were all lovely, but opera is my first love.”

Colin’s favourite place that he has visited is Stockholm, Sweden.

“We went at a beautiful time of the year, in Autumn. The light was so gentle and beautiful.”

Colin started working for Pact, after his wife sent in his CV without his knowledge.

He then had to learn period-styling and everything that went with it.

After working for Pact for 10 years, Colin left and was enabled to do other productions.

“I did some movie work, which I hated.

You would get up at 5am and work to death.

The actors would get called at noon, and until then you would be running around trying to keep their fingers out of their hair.”

According to Colin, it can take anywhere between 60 and 80 hours to create a single wig.

Theatre wigs are different from commercial wigs in both style and function.

Colin uses a technique known as lacing for theatre wigs.

The underside of the wig is laced so that once it is placed onto the actor’s head it looks as if the hair is growing from the scalp.

According to Colin, wig making isn’t a common profession in South Africa, but there are only a handful of people who do it.

Colin says that you have to be flexible, sometimes you just have to be a dresser.

He adds that you can make a living off of maintenance.

Colin is currently doing maintenance work on The Rocky Horror Picture Show, among other things.

He has apparently had a million funny moments while working.

He says that a great part of the job is that you laugh a lot.

He was once working on a production being filmed by the SABC where he had to unpin an actress’ hair and pin a 5ft veil onto her head along with a tiara.

The actress stood up when he was done and he moved the chair she was sitting on.

A crew member of the SABC told them that she needed more powder and she attempted to sit back down.

Colin laughs at the memory of the actress falling to the floor.

He says he loves theatre and the illusion of what happens once they are on stage.

“You’re standing on the side and there’s a whole story going on a few feet away from you.”

Colin enjoys gardening in his spare time, “Although at the moment it doesn’t look like it,” he chuckles.

“I have a normal family and my dogs, and that brings balance back into your life,” he states.

“One has to be careful that one doesn’t become neurotic over one’s work and that happens very easily.”

Colin advises aspiring wig makers to make sure that it’s what you really want to do.

“If not then it’s an absolute hell.” he says seriously.

One would expect Colin to be full of airs and graces after having accomplished as much as he has.

This, however, is not the case.

“I saw so many amazing things, and I was just one small link in a very large chain,” he says.

Colin continues, “Everything was made to last for 20 years, and the stuff is still being used.”

Colin Muir is just your typical, run-of-the-mill Springs resident and it seems as if that is how it will stay.