Not currently on display at the V&A

Richard II

Set Design
1955 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Set design by Leslie Hurry for Act I Scene III of William Shakespeare's Richard II directed by Michael Benthall for the Old Vic theatre, London 1955.

Leslie Hurry designed sets, costumes and props for this production, which opened on 18 January 1955. It starred John Neville in the title role. Richard II was revived at the Old Vic on 3 July 1956 with a number of cast changes and then toured under the auspices of Sol Hurok to the U.S.A where it was seen in New York in October 1956. Michael Northen served as Technical Assistant to Leslie Hurry. Photographs by Houston Rogers in the V & A's Theatre and Performance collections show the production on stage. Cartoons in the Tatler (2 February 1955) show Bolingbroke, the Duke of York and John of Gaunt.

The scenery was made in the Old Vic workshops under the direction of W. H. Parker and painted by John Collins and Leslie Woolnough.



Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleRichard II (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Ink, watercolour and crayon on cardboard stapled to paper
Brief description
Set design by Leslie Hurry for Act I Scene III of William Shakespeare's Richard II directed by Michael Benthall for the Old Vic theatre, London 1955
Physical description
Pen, crayon and watercolour set design on cardboard stapled to paper by Leslie Hurry for William Shakespeare's Richard II directed by Michael Benthall for the Old Vic theatre, London 1955. The design shows the interior of a vast, dark room with a high vaulted ceiling.
Dimensions
  • Height: 30.5cm
  • Width: 46.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
(1) V Richard II Old Vic Act I Sc III £500 C V (On reverse side in pencil and black, green and purple ink)
Credit line
Given by Mrs Caro Rathbone
Literary referenceRichard II
Summary
Set design by Leslie Hurry for Act I Scene III of William Shakespeare's Richard II directed by Michael Benthall for the Old Vic theatre, London 1955.

Leslie Hurry designed sets, costumes and props for this production, which opened on 18 January 1955. It starred John Neville in the title role. Richard II was revived at the Old Vic on 3 July 1956 with a number of cast changes and then toured under the auspices of Sol Hurok to the U.S.A where it was seen in New York in October 1956. Michael Northen served as Technical Assistant to Leslie Hurry. Photographs by Houston Rogers in the V & A's Theatre and Performance collections show the production on stage. Cartoons in the Tatler (2 February 1955) show Bolingbroke, the Duke of York and John of Gaunt.

The scenery was made in the Old Vic workshops under the direction of W. H. Parker and painted by John Collins and Leslie Woolnough.

Collection
Accession number
S.2020-2014

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Record createdSeptember 3, 2014
Record URL
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