Costume design by Wilhelm for John Le Hay as Clorinda, one of Cinderella's half-sisters, trying on the glass slipper in Cinderella, Garrick Theatre, 27 December 1897. Watercolour, gouache, pen and ink.

Costume design in watercolour and gouache on card for John Le Hay's costume as Clorinda, one of Cinderella's half-sisters, showing him trying on the glass slipper and wearing a red and green diagonally patterned panelled dress with square-cut, fitted bodice and a red and green striped jacket with elbow-length sleeves and a deep cream lace trim. He wears a cream satin ribbon choker and a black wig, decorated with pink roses and a white feather. His right foot is pointed out in front of him as he tries on the glass slipper which is obviously too small, and he is looking down and holding his skirt with his left hand and his own slipper in his right. Signed and dated in brown ink ‘Wilhelm 97’; inscribed in brown ink in the top right-hand corner ‘MR LE HAY SC.XI’.

Given by Christine Barrett

This costume design is one of two designs by Wilhelm given to the Theatre Collections by Hope Barrett in 2008, along with a photograph of her great grandfather Oscar Barrett and an illuminated testimonial to Oscar Barrett. The costume design was executed for a production of Cinderella produced by Oscar Barrett, written by Geoffrey Thorn at the Garrick Theatre, 1897-1897, opening 27 December 1897. The cast starred Grace Dudley as Cinderella; Harry Nicholls and Joyhn Le Hay as Thisbe and Clorinda, Helen Bertram as Prince Felix, Florrie Harmon as Dandini, Lillie Thurlow as Fernando, William Lugg as Baron Pumpolino and Cicely Richards as the Fairy Godmother.

Historical significance: Wilhelm (William Charles Pitcher RI, 1858-1925) was one of the most inventive and prolific late 19th century costume designers whose early passion for stage spectacle led to his employment designing pantomime costumes for Drury Lane Theatre. His attention to detail and ability to create visually stunning and decorative costumes were aspects of his work that appealed to producers and public alike, and led to his constant stream of work throughout his life. He was a well known illustrator of children's books as well as a costume designer, but it was his detailed and superbly decorative designs for the Empire Theatre ballet costumes from 1908 to 1915, led to an obituary writer noting: 'The name C. Wilhelm should be written in gold on the history of ballet'.

This costume design shows John Le Hay as Clorinda trying on the glass slipper in Oscar Barrett's spectacular 1897-1898 production of Cinderella at London's Garrick Theatre. Although Cinderella's half-sisters later came to be known as the Ugly Sisters, they were described in the programme for this production simply as her half-sisters. A contemporary reviewer noted that Mr Le Hay was: 'the dark, muscular Clorinda, a sturdy nymph addicted to glove-fighting and lifting heavy weights, short-tempered and vociferous, curiously fretful, and at one with her blonde finicking sister in nothing save their common hatred of Cinderella'.

The designer Wilhelm (William Charles Pitcher RI, 1858-1925) was one of the most inventive and prolific late 19th century costume designers, whose early passion for stage spectacle led to his employment designing pantomime costumes for Drury Lane Theatre. His attention to detail, and his ability to create visually stunning and decorative costumes, were aspects of his work that appealed to producers and public alike, and led to a constant stream of work.

S.232-2008