Emile Littler Archive
Costume Design
1919 (drawn)
1919 (drawn)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Costume design for a drummer in a production of Our Peg at Princes Theatre Manchester in 1919. The design is signed and dated Comelli, 1919.
Our Peg a musical play in three acts, founded upon Masks and Faces (by Tom Taylor and Charles Reade) with music by Harold Fraser-Simson and a libretto by Harry Graham and Edward Knoblock at Prince's Theatre Manchester, 1919. This play was only performed in the provinces and achieved comparatively little success before it was reproduced under the title of Our Nell (the original heroine, Peg Woffington, being replaced by Nell Gwynne). This new production was written by Louis N. Parker, Reginald Arkell with additional music composed by Harold Fraser-Simson and Ivor Novello. It opened at the Gaiety Theatre in April of 1924.
Comelli (1858-1925) was the house designer of the Royal Opera House from the late 1880s to the early 1920s. During this period he also worked for the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and also designed costumes from a number of Gilbert&Sullivan productions.
The Gipsy Girl, or Zigeunerliebe in the original German, is an operetta by Franz Lehár. The English lyrics for this production at Daly's Theatre, London were written by Basil Hood and Adrian Ross.
This design come from a collection of items given to the Museum by the Emile Littler Estate. Emile Littler (1903-1985) was a manager and producer, whose early career embraced both general theatrical management and stage management before he started in management on his own in 1934. He was married to the actress and Principal boy Cora Goffin whose success was such that her legs were insured for £20,000. She continued to tour the provinces and Ireland in her husband's productions until her retirement from the stage in 1940. By the 1950s Littler was presenting plays, musicals and pantomimes and during his lifetime he wrote and directed over fifteen productions at various London theatres and over 200 throughout Britain. In 1974 he received a Knighthood and was made a freeman of the city of London. He died 11 years later in January 1985.
Our Peg a musical play in three acts, founded upon Masks and Faces (by Tom Taylor and Charles Reade) with music by Harold Fraser-Simson and a libretto by Harry Graham and Edward Knoblock at Prince's Theatre Manchester, 1919. This play was only performed in the provinces and achieved comparatively little success before it was reproduced under the title of Our Nell (the original heroine, Peg Woffington, being replaced by Nell Gwynne). This new production was written by Louis N. Parker, Reginald Arkell with additional music composed by Harold Fraser-Simson and Ivor Novello. It opened at the Gaiety Theatre in April of 1924.
Comelli (1858-1925) was the house designer of the Royal Opera House from the late 1880s to the early 1920s. During this period he also worked for the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and also designed costumes from a number of Gilbert&Sullivan productions.
The Gipsy Girl, or Zigeunerliebe in the original German, is an operetta by Franz Lehár. The English lyrics for this production at Daly's Theatre, London were written by Basil Hood and Adrian Ross.
This design come from a collection of items given to the Museum by the Emile Littler Estate. Emile Littler (1903-1985) was a manager and producer, whose early career embraced both general theatrical management and stage management before he started in management on his own in 1934. He was married to the actress and Principal boy Cora Goffin whose success was such that her legs were insured for £20,000. She continued to tour the provinces and Ireland in her husband's productions until her retirement from the stage in 1940. By the 1950s Littler was presenting plays, musicals and pantomimes and during his lifetime he wrote and directed over fifteen productions at various London theatres and over 200 throughout Britain. In 1974 he received a Knighthood and was made a freeman of the city of London. He died 11 years later in January 1985.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Emile Littler Archive (named collection) |
| Materials and techniques | Pen and ink and watercolour |
| Brief description | Costume design for a drummer in a production of Old Peg at Princes Theatre Manchester in 1919. Emile Littler Archive. |
| Physical description | Costume design for a drummer, associated with a production of Our Peg at Princes Theatre, Manchester in 1919. It shows a full length image of a young woman dressed in the red, nacy and gold uniform of a drummer. The uniform consists of a long, front fastening jacket, with a red ground, trimmed with bands of gold and sections of deep blue, a pair of fitting deep blue breeches and a cap with an upstanding front panel decorated with an emblem of crossed flags beneath a royal crown. The figure is also dressed in white gaiters which button at the side, a white shirt and a white neckcloth. A drum hangs from a striped blue and gold strap which she wears around her shoulders and she holds a drumstick in each hand. The design is signed Comelli and dated 1919. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Gift of the Estate of Emile Littler |
| Literary reference | Old Peg |
| Summary | Costume design for a drummer in a production of Our Peg at Princes Theatre Manchester in 1919. The design is signed and dated Comelli, 1919. Our Peg a musical play in three acts, founded upon Masks and Faces (by Tom Taylor and Charles Reade) with music by Harold Fraser-Simson and a libretto by Harry Graham and Edward Knoblock at Prince's Theatre Manchester, 1919. This play was only performed in the provinces and achieved comparatively little success before it was reproduced under the title of Our Nell (the original heroine, Peg Woffington, being replaced by Nell Gwynne). This new production was written by Louis N. Parker, Reginald Arkell with additional music composed by Harold Fraser-Simson and Ivor Novello. It opened at the Gaiety Theatre in April of 1924. Comelli (1858-1925) was the house designer of the Royal Opera House from the late 1880s to the early 1920s. During this period he also worked for the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and also designed costumes from a number of Gilbert&Sullivan productions. The Gipsy Girl, or Zigeunerliebe in the original German, is an operetta by Franz Lehár. The English lyrics for this production at Daly's Theatre, London were written by Basil Hood and Adrian Ross. This design come from a collection of items given to the Museum by the Emile Littler Estate. Emile Littler (1903-1985) was a manager and producer, whose early career embraced both general theatrical management and stage management before he started in management on his own in 1934. He was married to the actress and Principal boy Cora Goffin whose success was such that her legs were insured for £20,000. She continued to tour the provinces and Ireland in her husband's productions until her retirement from the stage in 1940. By the 1950s Littler was presenting plays, musicals and pantomimes and during his lifetime he wrote and directed over fifteen productions at various London theatres and over 200 throughout Britain. In 1974 he received a Knighthood and was made a freeman of the city of London. He died 11 years later in January 1985. |
| Associated object | THM/144 (Series) |
| Other number | THM/144 - Archive number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.2532-2010 |
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| Record created | October 20, 2010 |
| Record URL |
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