Queen Elizabeth in Vivat! Vivat Regina!
Theatre Design
1970 (made)
1970 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Costume design by Carl Toms for Eileen Atkins as Queen Elizabeth in Robert Bolt's play Vivat! Vivat Regina!, Chichester Festival Theatre, 1970.
Carl Toms (1927-1999) was one of the most successful British theatre designers of the late 20th century. He designed settings and costumes for all the major British theatre companies, including the National Theatre (both at the Old Vic and on the South Bank), the Royal Shakespeare Company (though never for Shakespeare) and Chichester Festival Theatre, and for numerous productions in London’s West End. He had a long association with the plays of Tom Stoppard, collaborating with the director Peter Wood. Toms also worked for opera and ballet companies in Britain, Europe and the United States, designed for films (memorably creating the skimpy fur bikini for Raquel Welch which was the abiding memory of the 1967 epic One Million Years B.C.), and was responsible for the redecoration and refurbishment of the Theatre Royals at Windsor (1965), Bath (1982) and Richmond (1990). In 1969 he was design consultant for the Investiture of the Prince of Wales at Caernarvon Castle.
Toms was born in Nottinghamshire and began his training at the Mansfield College of Art, before going on to the Royal College of Art and then to the Old Vic School. There he was trained by Margaret Harris, a third of the celebrated Motley design partnership. Harris introduced Toms to Oliver Messel, the most celebrated designer of the mid 20th century, and Toms became Messel’s assistant for six years (1952-57), making many of the models of Messel’s designs now held in the V&A.
Robert Bolt’s play Vivat! Vivat Regina!, which premiered at Chichester, contrasted the lives of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. Sarah Miles played Mary to Eileen Atkins Elizabeth and it was Atkins's performance that most impressed reviewers, with Carl Toms’s settings and costumes being praised for their splendour.
The design belonged to Harry Schneider, who worked for the costumiers, Berman and Nathan's, and made the costumes for Carl Toms.
Carl Toms (1927-1999) was one of the most successful British theatre designers of the late 20th century. He designed settings and costumes for all the major British theatre companies, including the National Theatre (both at the Old Vic and on the South Bank), the Royal Shakespeare Company (though never for Shakespeare) and Chichester Festival Theatre, and for numerous productions in London’s West End. He had a long association with the plays of Tom Stoppard, collaborating with the director Peter Wood. Toms also worked for opera and ballet companies in Britain, Europe and the United States, designed for films (memorably creating the skimpy fur bikini for Raquel Welch which was the abiding memory of the 1967 epic One Million Years B.C.), and was responsible for the redecoration and refurbishment of the Theatre Royals at Windsor (1965), Bath (1982) and Richmond (1990). In 1969 he was design consultant for the Investiture of the Prince of Wales at Caernarvon Castle.
Toms was born in Nottinghamshire and began his training at the Mansfield College of Art, before going on to the Royal College of Art and then to the Old Vic School. There he was trained by Margaret Harris, a third of the celebrated Motley design partnership. Harris introduced Toms to Oliver Messel, the most celebrated designer of the mid 20th century, and Toms became Messel’s assistant for six years (1952-57), making many of the models of Messel’s designs now held in the V&A.
Robert Bolt’s play Vivat! Vivat Regina!, which premiered at Chichester, contrasted the lives of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. Sarah Miles played Mary to Eileen Atkins Elizabeth and it was Atkins's performance that most impressed reviewers, with Carl Toms’s settings and costumes being praised for their splendour.
The design belonged to Harry Schneider, who worked for the costumiers, Berman and Nathan's, and made the costumes for Carl Toms.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Queen Elizabeth in Vivat! Vivat Regina! (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Watercolour and pencil with applied gold paper on board |
| Brief description | Costume design by Carl Toms for Eileen Atkins as Queen Elizabeth in Robert Bolt's play Vivat! Vivat Regina!, Chichester Festival Theatre, 1970 |
| Physical description | Costume design for Eileen Atkins as Queen Elizabeth in Vivat! Vivat Regina!. Full length figure of Queen Elizabeth I in a fawn over-robe with gold details, over a russet brown dress with gold patterning on the skirt, a ruff edged in gold and a gold tiara, the gold detailing being gold paper lace applied to the design. Signed. Mounted. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Literary reference | Vivat! Vivat Regina! |
| Summary | Costume design by Carl Toms for Eileen Atkins as Queen Elizabeth in Robert Bolt's play Vivat! Vivat Regina!, Chichester Festival Theatre, 1970. Carl Toms (1927-1999) was one of the most successful British theatre designers of the late 20th century. He designed settings and costumes for all the major British theatre companies, including the National Theatre (both at the Old Vic and on the South Bank), the Royal Shakespeare Company (though never for Shakespeare) and Chichester Festival Theatre, and for numerous productions in London’s West End. He had a long association with the plays of Tom Stoppard, collaborating with the director Peter Wood. Toms also worked for opera and ballet companies in Britain, Europe and the United States, designed for films (memorably creating the skimpy fur bikini for Raquel Welch which was the abiding memory of the 1967 epic One Million Years B.C.), and was responsible for the redecoration and refurbishment of the Theatre Royals at Windsor (1965), Bath (1982) and Richmond (1990). In 1969 he was design consultant for the Investiture of the Prince of Wales at Caernarvon Castle. Toms was born in Nottinghamshire and began his training at the Mansfield College of Art, before going on to the Royal College of Art and then to the Old Vic School. There he was trained by Margaret Harris, a third of the celebrated Motley design partnership. Harris introduced Toms to Oliver Messel, the most celebrated designer of the mid 20th century, and Toms became Messel’s assistant for six years (1952-57), making many of the models of Messel’s designs now held in the V&A. Robert Bolt’s play Vivat! Vivat Regina!, which premiered at Chichester, contrasted the lives of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. Sarah Miles played Mary to Eileen Atkins Elizabeth and it was Atkins's performance that most impressed reviewers, with Carl Toms’s settings and costumes being praised for their splendour. The design belonged to Harry Schneider, who worked for the costumiers, Berman and Nathan's, and made the costumes for Carl Toms. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.378-2015 |
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| Record created | January 5, 2015 |
| Record URL |
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