Not currently on display at the V&A

Costume design for Berwick Kaler as Hattie Hood dressed as the Olympics in Robin Hood and his Merry Mam

Costume Design
2012 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Berwick Kaler played the Dame in all the hugely popular pantomimes that he wrote for the York Theatre Royal, wearing a series of increasingly inventive and witty costumes. Many of them celebrated or referred to topical events. The inspiration for this 2012 costume, designed by Charles Cusick Smith for the character Hattie Hood in Robin Hood and his Merry Mam, was the summer Olympics that took place in the UK that year.

Berwick Kaler never wore make-up for his Dames, who he always wanted to be patently a man in a frock. To this end he also wore brown workman's boots, as can be seen in this design. Their laces were their only flamboyant note - one yellow and one red - worn to contrast with the socks, with one red leg and one yellow.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCostume design for Berwick Kaler as Hattie Hood dressed as the Olympics in<i> Robin Hood and his Merry Mam</i> (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Watercolour and pen on card with attached fabric swatches
Brief description
Costume design by Charles Cusick Smith for Berwick Kaler as Hattie Hood as the Olympics in Robin Hood and his Merry Mam at the York Theatre Royal (13 December 2012 - 2 February 2013)
Physical description
Costume design by Charles Cusick Smith for Berwick Kaler as Hattie Hood, dressed to represent the Olympics in Robin Hood and his Merry Mam. Full length figure of a Pantomime Dame, wearing a gold strapless 'leotard' decorated with Olympic symbols, a headdress shaped like an Olympic torch and five large hoops (the Olympic rings). She has heavy boots, worn with one yellow sock and one red sock, and holds an Olympic torch in her left hand. With a line drawing of the figure, lower right, and three attached fabric swatches, upper right.
Dimensions
  • Height: 42cm
  • Width: 30cm
Credit line
Given by the artist
Summary
Berwick Kaler played the Dame in all the hugely popular pantomimes that he wrote for the York Theatre Royal, wearing a series of increasingly inventive and witty costumes. Many of them celebrated or referred to topical events. The inspiration for this 2012 costume, designed by Charles Cusick Smith for the character Hattie Hood in Robin Hood and his Merry Mam, was the summer Olympics that took place in the UK that year.

Berwick Kaler never wore make-up for his Dames, who he always wanted to be patently a man in a frock. To this end he also wore brown workman's boots, as can be seen in this design. Their laces were their only flamboyant note - one yellow and one red - worn to contrast with the socks, with one red leg and one yellow.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
S.994-2017

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Record createdOctober 24, 2016
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