Tutor

Barbie Burrows has worked with "wigs" ever since leaving hairdressing college in 1965. She obtained her City & Guilds in Wig Making at Tottenham Technical College in north London, but now lives in Sussex.

Her first job was mixing and colour matching the hair in preparation for the machine made wigs that were very popular in the 1960's and then went on to being employed as a sole wig maker/knotter in a small private wig company. That stood her in good stead for her future career as a well rounded wig maker.

Barbie has worked freelance for many well known theatre companies both in this country and abroad, but for most of her working life she has been involved with Opera. For the last 22 years she has been Head of the Wig Dept for Glyndebourne Opera in Sussex. Other works and recent commitments have been with the Museum of London, Kensington Palace Royal Exhibitions and most recently the bi-centenary celebrations of Lord Nelson.

She is both passionate and committed to any involvements within the field of wig making and hopes to develop a certificated rating that will be recognised within the industry in the future.

Endorsements

"I am very happy to endorse The Wig Academy training courses. In my view, these courses, directed by Barbie Burrows, will ensure that expertise and skills in Wig Making and Wig Dressing are passed on, and the high standards that Ms Burrows always held to during her days at Glyndebourne Festival Opera are maintained and preserved for the future.

I am pleased that the aim of the school is also to encourage younger people of today into the knowledge that a career in theatre or film and TV -where the highest level of Wig Making and Wig Dressing are often crucial elements in the success of the production - can be challenging, exciting and rewarding.

On a personal level, I have known and worked with Barbie Burrows on several productions which I have directed. Her work has always been of the first rank and I wish her well with her new and very important endeavour."

Sir Peter Hall CBE
Director

"I have had my hair dressed and my wigs made by Barbie Burrows at Glyndebourne for more than twenty years, and I wish her every success on her ‘Wig Academy’. She is brilliant!"

Dame Felicity Lott
Opera Singer