Not currently on display at the V&A

Puppet

late 20th century (made)

Rod puppet of Dorinda. She has a papier maché face painted with big blue eyes and red lips, and orange-yellow wool hair, on which is perched a red conical mediaeval hat covered with dull gold lace, and from which hangs a length of purple and white striped synthetic chiffon. She wears a bead necklace, a V-necked purple devoré velvet dress with wide green velvet ribbon sash, a pearl brooch in the centre of her bodice and lengths of purple and white striped synthetic chiffon hanging in Mediaeval fashion from each sleeve. A central wooden rod for operation from below is attached to the head and there are two metal bars ending in wooden handles fixed to each wrist to control the arms


Object details

Object type
Materials and techniques
Papier maché, paint, wood, wool, velvet, lace, synthetic chiffon, beads, velvet ribbon, imitation pearls and metal
Brief description
Rod puppet of Dorinda, from the burlesque Mediaeval melodrama The Secret Well. Chelsea Puppet Theatre Group. English, late 20th century
Physical description
Rod puppet of Dorinda. She has a papier maché face painted with big blue eyes and red lips, and orange-yellow wool hair, on which is perched a red conical mediaeval hat covered with dull gold lace, and from which hangs a length of purple and white striped synthetic chiffon. She wears a bead necklace, a V-necked purple devoré velvet dress with wide green velvet ribbon sash, a pearl brooch in the centre of her bodice and lengths of purple and white striped synthetic chiffon hanging in Mediaeval fashion from each sleeve. A central wooden rod for operation from below is attached to the head and there are two metal bars ending in wooden handles fixed to each wrist to control the arms
Dimensions
  • Head to tip of arm rod height: 90cm
Credit line
Given by the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild
Object history
This puppet, S.482-2001 and S.484 - S.486-2001 were used in the Chelsea Puppet Theatre Group's production of The Secret Well, a burlesque Mediaeval melodrama, staged between 1957 and 1985, when the theatre group was in operation
Associated objects
Other number
P.302 - British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild number
Collection
Accession number
S.483-2001

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Record createdSeptember 16, 2004
Record URL
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