Set Design
ca.1949 (designed)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Great Britain’s leading theatre designer from the early 1930s to the mid 1950s, Oliver Messel (1904-1978) won international acclaim for his lavish, painterly and poetic designs informed by period styles. His work spans ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue. Messel’s traditional style of theatre design became unfashionable from the mid 1950s onwards, and he increasingly concentrated on painting, interior and textile design, including designing luxury homes in the Caribbean.
Ring Round the Moon, a translation of Jean Anouilh's play L'Invitation au Château by Christopher Fry, was first performed at the Globe Theatre (now the Gielgud Theatre), in 1950. It enjoyed a substantial run in the West End before moving to New York. Peter Brook, the director, suggested that the setting should be a winter garden or hothouse with plants and trees. Although untypical of Messel’s style, the set is one of his most memorable designs, and complemented the elegance and fantasy of Fry’s poetic drama.
The set featured a light projection of brightly coloured butterflies in the hothouse. Messel drew the butterflies on tracing paper attached to a sheet of clear acetate film to imitate the transparent effect of a light projection.
Ring Round the Moon, a translation of Jean Anouilh's play L'Invitation au Château by Christopher Fry, was first performed at the Globe Theatre (now the Gielgud Theatre), in 1950. It enjoyed a substantial run in the West End before moving to New York. Peter Brook, the director, suggested that the setting should be a winter garden or hothouse with plants and trees. Although untypical of Messel’s style, the set is one of his most memorable designs, and complemented the elegance and fantasy of Fry’s poetic drama.
The set featured a light projection of brightly coloured butterflies in the hothouse. Messel drew the butterflies on tracing paper attached to a sheet of clear acetate film to imitate the transparent effect of a light projection.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Charcoal, gouache and watercolour on tracing paper and acetate |
Brief description | Set design by Oliver Messel for butterflies in Jean Anouilh's play Ring Round the Moon (translated by Christopher Fry), Globe Theatre, London, 1950. |
Physical description | A charcoal and watercolour sketch of butterflies by Oliver Messel for Ring Round the Moon, Globe Theatre, 1950. Tracing paper attached with sellotape to a sheet of acetate. |
Dimensions |
|
Production type | Design |
Credit line | Acquired with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and the Friends of the V&A |
Object history | Ring Round the Moon, a translation of Jean Anouilh's play L’Invitation au Château (1947) by Christopher Fry, was first performed at the Globe Theatre, London (now the Gielgud Theatre), on 26 January 1950. The production, presented by H. M. Tennent Productions Ltd, was directed by Peter Brook, with a cast that included Paul Scofield, Claire Bloom and Margaret Rutherford. Lord Snowdon, Oliver Messel's nephew, inherited Messel's theatre designs and other designs and artefacts. The designs were briefly stored in a disused chapel in Kensington Palace before being housed at the V&A from 1981 on indefinite loan. The V&A Theatre Museum purchased the Oliver Messel collection from Lord Snowdon in 2005. Historical significance: The set for Ring Round the Moon is one of Messel's most famed set designs. |
Production | Reason For Production: Commission |
Summary | Great Britain’s leading theatre designer from the early 1930s to the mid 1950s, Oliver Messel (1904-1978) won international acclaim for his lavish, painterly and poetic designs informed by period styles. His work spans ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue. Messel’s traditional style of theatre design became unfashionable from the mid 1950s onwards, and he increasingly concentrated on painting, interior and textile design, including designing luxury homes in the Caribbean. Ring Round the Moon, a translation of Jean Anouilh's play L'Invitation au Château by Christopher Fry, was first performed at the Globe Theatre (now the Gielgud Theatre), in 1950. It enjoyed a substantial run in the West End before moving to New York. Peter Brook, the director, suggested that the setting should be a winter garden or hothouse with plants and trees. Although untypical of Messel’s style, the set is one of his most memorable designs, and complemented the elegance and fantasy of Fry’s poetic drama. The set featured a light projection of brightly coloured butterflies in the hothouse. Messel drew the butterflies on tracing paper attached to a sheet of clear acetate film to imitate the transparent effect of a light projection. |
Bibliographic reference | Pinkham, Roger (ed.) Oliver Messel: an exhibition held at the Theatre Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, 22 June - 30 September 1983.
London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983. 200p., ill
ISBN 0905209508) |
Other number | ROT 2353 - TM Rotation Number |
Collection | |
Accession number | S.256-2006 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | August 14, 2006 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest