Wigs and Make Up Casual Technicians

Casual rates @ £19.26/hour (with uplift if additional responsibilities undertaken)

Based in Covent Garden, London

The Royal Ballet and Opera continues to lead the way in opera, ballet, music and dance both live on stage and through multiple digital platforms, from live streaming to worldwide cinema screenings. Our Covent Garden theatre has been at the heart of London and British cultural life for three centuries. We are home to two world-class Companies: The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera.

The Royal Opera House describes the place we work, not who we are. The whole is always more than the sum of its parts – we may be a House, but three quarters of our audiences experience what we do outside this building. While our Covent Garden theatre is the nerve centre, the impact and influence of the organisation can be felt in every corner of the country, and around the world.

Our Technical, Production and Costume Department plays a leading part in ensuring our performances are of the highest quality by delivering technical excellence for every performance, rehearsal, and event.

With a busy season of productions ahead, our Wigs and Make-Up department requires the support of a dedicated pool of casual technicians to meet operational peaks to deliver performances, rehearsals, and events.

Casual technicians are required to work effectively as part of a team, ensuring that all assigned activities associated are carried out to the highest possible standard of safety, efficiency and quality.

What are we looking for?

Ideally, we are looking for individuals with:

• A proven track record in performance-related Wig and Make-up work for major companies.
• A proven background in wig and make-up preparation techniques including the ability to make wigs and facials.
• Proven ability to realize make-up looks from an existing design, awareness of hair types, texture, and the latest hair and wig styling techniques and products.
• Demonstrable experience in show-related work and providing excellent levels of customer care, for professional theatre.
• An understanding of Health and Safety legislation relevant to theatre.

To apply, please send your CV directly to the Wigs and Make-Up Managers at [email protected]

Only applications sent to the correct email will be considered and reviewed. Please do not use the 'Apply' button. Applications received in the system will not be considered.

The Royal Ballet and Opera is one of the UK’s leading arts organisations and our aim is to inspire imagination, ignite emotion and make the extraordinary for everyone. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion underpin all that we do. We want our people to be representative of the diversity in the UK. We understand the creativity and innovation that diversity can bring and strive to create an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive.

We encourage applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and skills to join our teams. We particularly welcome applications from those who are from a global majority background and/or those who are disabled, as they are under-represented within our organisation.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, which means that we are actively working to ensure that candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions feel supported, engaged and able to fulfil their potential in the workplace. We will endeavour to offer an interview to candidates who tell us they wish to participate in the scheme and who demonstrate in their application that they meet the essential criteria for the role, though sometimes due to the volume of qualified candidates with declarations this is not possible.

The RBO is also committed to safeguarding and protecting all children, young people, and adults and we implement robust safer recruitment practices. Due to our safeguarding promise, certain roles will be subject to a DBS check before commencing employment with us, which will be indicated in the advertising.

Closing date for applications: 11:59pm, Sunday 30th August 2026.

To ensure a fair process, late applications will not be considered under any circumstances.

Applicants must have work authorisation for the UK.