Jacket worn by Alfie Bass as the King in Jack and the Beanstalk, London Palladium, 1973 thumbnail 1
Jacket worn by Alfie Bass as the King in Jack and the Beanstalk, London Palladium, 1973 thumbnail 2
+1
images
Not currently on display at the V&A

Jacket worn by Alfie Bass as the King in Jack and the Beanstalk, London Palladium, 1973

Jacket
1973 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This jacket was designed by the prolific costume designer Cynthia Tingey (1931-2005) who trained at the Regent Street Polytechnic where she won a medal for theatre design. She began working in the theatre in 1952 and her career included a five-year period as house designer for the theatrical costumiers Bermans before its 1972 merger with Nathans, and work on West End productions, department store exhibitions, and designs for over fifty films. It was as a costume designer for pantomime, variety and cabaret that she became best known however, especially her designs for fifteen London Palladium Christmas pantomimes designing costumes for celebrities including Arthur Askey, Cilla Black, Cliff Richard and Tommy Steele. Throughout the 1950s, '60s and '70s she was responsible for the costumes for cabarets at many of the major London nightclubs and hotels, and she designed summer Variety shows ranging from the London Palladium's extravaganzas to seaside specials at Blackpool and Great Yarmouth.

The jacket was designed for a grand Ballroom scene in the 1973 Christmas pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk that opened at the London Palladium Theatre on the 18th December. It is part of the era when pantomime was an annual event and major draw at London's most prestigious variety venue. It was worn by Alfie Bass (1916-1987), the popular actor who appeared in countless plays, films and revues, and who took over from Chaim Topol as Tevye in the original London production of the musical Fiddler on the Roof in which he starred at Her Majesty's Theatre for three years, from 1967 to 1969.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleJacket worn by Alfie Bass as the King in Jack and the Beanstalk, London Palladium, 1973
Materials and techniques
Wool fabric decorated with braid and paste buttons
Brief description
Knee-length jacket designed in 1973 by Cynthia Tingey (1931-2005), made by Bermans and Nathans and worn by Alfie Bass (1916-1987) as the King in the Ballroom scene of the pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk, London Palladium, 1973
Physical description
Knee-length Hussar-inspired jacket in maroon fine wool fabric, with gold lamé at the cuffs and small upstanding collar. The interior is lined with a burgundy polyester based fabric. The jacket is edged with bands of metallic gold braid that run down the centre front to imitate frogging, and also decorates the cuffs. Bands of the same braid have also been used to add detailing to the back and to edge the two vents present at the proper left and proper right of the jacket. The jacket fastens at the centre front with a vertical row of seven alternating metal hooks and eyes. Twenty-one false buttons decorate the front of the jacket. These are in the form of six-petalled flowers with paste petals to imitate jewels. A red and gold lamé striped sash runs around the waist and is secured at the proper left hip with threee large metal hooks. The sash is decorated with swags of gold braid extending into two hanging tassels at the proper left hip and decorated on the proper right hip with a single false paste button identical to those on the front.

A maker's label has been sewn into the interior of the collar.
Dimensions
  • From the top of the collar to the base of the front hem length: 107.0cm
  • From the base of the collar to the bottom of the rear hem length: 95.0cm
  • Across the shoulders width: 41.0cm
  • From shoulder to end of the cuff length: 58.0cm
  • Weight: 2.4kg
Marks and inscriptions
  • Bermans & Nathans 18 Irving St Leicester Sq, W.C.2. (Woven text on the maker's standard label that is stitched into the interior at the collar)
  • ALFIE BASS Ball 5526 JACK & THE BEANSTALK (Printed on maker's label in ink)
Credit line
Given by the Mere and Gillingham Cats' Protection Branch
Subject depicted
Literary referenceJack and the Beanstalk
Summary
This jacket was designed by the prolific costume designer Cynthia Tingey (1931-2005) who trained at the Regent Street Polytechnic where she won a medal for theatre design. She began working in the theatre in 1952 and her career included a five-year period as house designer for the theatrical costumiers Bermans before its 1972 merger with Nathans, and work on West End productions, department store exhibitions, and designs for over fifty films. It was as a costume designer for pantomime, variety and cabaret that she became best known however, especially her designs for fifteen London Palladium Christmas pantomimes designing costumes for celebrities including Arthur Askey, Cilla Black, Cliff Richard and Tommy Steele. Throughout the 1950s, '60s and '70s she was responsible for the costumes for cabarets at many of the major London nightclubs and hotels, and she designed summer Variety shows ranging from the London Palladium's extravaganzas to seaside specials at Blackpool and Great Yarmouth.

The jacket was designed for a grand Ballroom scene in the 1973 Christmas pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk that opened at the London Palladium Theatre on the 18th December. It is part of the era when pantomime was an annual event and major draw at London's most prestigious variety venue. It was worn by Alfie Bass (1916-1987), the popular actor who appeared in countless plays, films and revues, and who took over from Chaim Topol as Tevye in the original London production of the musical Fiddler on the Roof in which he starred at Her Majesty's Theatre for three years, from 1967 to 1969.
Associated object
S.135-1999 (Design)
Collection
Accession number
S.1488-2014

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

Record createdMay 15, 2014
Record URL
Download as: JSON