Not currently on display at the V&A

Richard II

Design
1955 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Design for two chairs or thrones by Leslie Hurry for 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 Northern 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.



Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleRichard II (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Ink and watercolour, pencil and coloured pencil on paper
Brief description
Design by Leslie Hurry for two chairs or thrones in William Shakespeare's Richard II directed by Michael Benthall for the Old Vic theatre, London 1955
Physical description
Pen and watercolour design on paper with annotation in pencil and coloured pencil. The design is for two chairs or thrones by Leslie Hurry for William Shakespeare's Richard II directed by Michael Benthall for the Old Vic theatre, London 1955. The design shows two chairs with pointed backs and blue seats, one slightly narrower than the other.
Dimensions
  • Height: 17.5cm
  • Width: 16.8cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • elaborate but light X [worth?] to [cut off] supplier 25 2 out [?] (On front side in pencil and red coloured pencil)
  • 13 (On reverse side in black ink)
Credit line
Given by Mrs Caro Rathbone
Literary referenceRichard II
Summary
Design for two chairs or thrones by Leslie Hurry for 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 Northern 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.

Collection
Accession number
S.2023-2014

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Record createdSeptember 3, 2014
Record URL
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