Costume Design thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Costume Design

1961 (painted)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Design for Frederic in Act II of The Pirates of Penzance, showing a full length male figure wearing a military uniform of waist length black jacket with gold epaulettes over a red waistcoat trimmed with gold buttons, black trousers with a red stripe down the outer seam, a red and gold kepi and white gloves, and carrying a swagger stick. The design is signed and inscribed with the name of the opera and the character.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gouache on card
Brief description
Design by Brian Jackson for Frederic in Act II of The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan, Stratford, Ontario, 1961
Physical description
Design for Frederic in Act II of The Pirates of Penzance, showing a full length male figure wearing a military uniform of waist length black jacket with gold epaulettes over a red waistcoat trimmed with gold buttons, black trousers with a red stripe down the outer seam, a red and gold kepi and white gloves, and carrying a swagger stick. The design is signed and inscribed with the name of the opera and the character.
Dimensions
  • Height: 354mm
  • Width: 214mm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'FREDERICK (sic) / ACT II' (Textual information; Upper left hand corner; Handwriting; Gouache. The character's name is in fact 'Frederic'.)
  • 'THE PIRATES' (Textual information; Upper right hand coner; Handwriting; Gouache)
  • 'BJ / 61' (Signature; Lower right hand corner; Handwriting; Gouache)
Credit line
Given by Andrew Downie
Object history
This design was made for Tyrone Guthrie's production of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera, The Pirates of Penzance, at the Avon Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, 7 July 1961. The production subsequently toured, playing at Her Majesty's Theatre, London, in 1962 (opening on 15 February). At Stratford and on tour Frederic was played by Andrew Downie who gave this design to the Museum.
Subject depicted
Literary referenceThe Pirates of Penzance
Associated object
Collection
Accession number
S.221-1999

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Record createdJanuary 7, 2000
Record URL
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