OK, so I've been cast in a play as a railway porter in 1840s England at the height of the Railway Mania. I am 37, blond and essentially bald-headed, with generally incredibly slow-growing, fine and not very visible facial hair.
In other words, I'm not going to be able to cultivate the impressive sideburns or mutton-chop whiskers that Google Image Search is showing me for "1840s facial hair".
But then, I don't even know if that would be appropriate for someone in my character's age and position. Can anyone with a better knowledge of this kind of thing help me out?
I can really help you out if you answer these questions for me: How old is your character suppose to be? How high is the production value? Do you have to get your own costume or is there a dedicated costume department? What is your audience (in other words is this a low-cost or free play or are you charging a lot of money for tickets?)