Not currently on display at the V&A

A Tale of Two Cities

Set Design
1981 (hand drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Photographic copy of an original set design by Voytek, showing 'Tellson's Bank', created for a production of A Tale of Two Cities directed by Chris Bond and Pip Broughton and first staged at the Liverpool Playhouse on the 6th of November, 1981.

Dubbed Voytek by George Devine, Wojciech Roman Pawel Jerzy Szendzikowski (1925-2014), was known for his distinctive designs for the stage, theatre and film. Drawing his elaborate designs from in depth analysis of each script or screenplay.
Winning the Military Cross for his role in the Second World War, Voytek transferring first to Italy and then to Scotland after the end of the war where he enrolled at the Dundee Art Collage. In 1947 he moved to London, becoming a student of stage design at the Old Vic Theatre School. His career as a stage set and costume designer began with the Nottingham Playhouse whist his work on TV drama began with ABC Television and on film with Roman Polanski’s Cul-de-Sac.
His theatrical works concentrated on major regional theatre and touring companies including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Shared Experience; he was head of design at the Liverpool Playhouse from 1981-1982.

The collection this design is from also contains working drawings, model pieces, photograph, production notes as well as press cuttings and programmes relating to Voytek’s career as a production designer for the stage, television and film.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleA Tale of Two Cities (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink, with oil pastel on paper.
Brief description
Photographic copy of a set design by Voytek, showing 'Tellson's Bank', created for a production of A Tale of Two Cities Liverpool Playhouse, 1981
Physical description
Photographic copy of an original set design by Voytek, showing the 'Tellson's Bank', created for a production of <i>A Tale of Two Cities</i> at Liverpool Playhouse in 1981. The copy has been made in tones of black and white, and shows towers of books (or notes) piled high towards the ceiling, with the words 'Tellsons Bank' at the centre.
Dimensions
  • Height: 41.6cm
  • Width: 29.4cm
Credit line
Given by the artist
Literary referenceA Tale of Two Cities
Summary
Photographic copy of an original set design by Voytek, showing 'Tellson's Bank', created for a production of A Tale of Two Cities directed by Chris Bond and Pip Broughton and first staged at the Liverpool Playhouse on the 6th of November, 1981.

Dubbed Voytek by George Devine, Wojciech Roman Pawel Jerzy Szendzikowski (1925-2014), was known for his distinctive designs for the stage, theatre and film. Drawing his elaborate designs from in depth analysis of each script or screenplay.
Winning the Military Cross for his role in the Second World War, Voytek transferring first to Italy and then to Scotland after the end of the war where he enrolled at the Dundee Art Collage. In 1947 he moved to London, becoming a student of stage design at the Old Vic Theatre School. His career as a stage set and costume designer began with the Nottingham Playhouse whist his work on TV drama began with ABC Television and on film with Roman Polanski’s Cul-de-Sac.
His theatrical works concentrated on major regional theatre and touring companies including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Shared Experience; he was head of design at the Liverpool Playhouse from 1981-1982.

The collection this design is from also contains working drawings, model pieces, photograph, production notes as well as press cuttings and programmes relating to Voytek’s career as a production designer for the stage, television and film.
Other number
THM/153 (Voytek Archive) - Archive number
Collection
Accession number
S.1860-1994

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Record createdSeptember 12, 2014
Record URL
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