Not currently on display at the V&A

Costume Design

1965 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Design for Big Hearted Martha in Babes in the Wood, showing two full length female figures painted in an impressionistic style, the left hand figure in a full length, tight fitting, long sleeved, medieval style dress of white and gold fabric, the neck and floor length sleeves trimmed with three wide blue stripes and from each shoulders long hanging ribbons of yellow, orange and blue. She wears her fair hair in plaits coiled over the ears with a high pony tail tied with four blue ribbons decorated with white trimming. The right hand figure wears a blue, full length, long sleeved, medieval style dress with a high waist, the fronts, neck and hem trimmed with gold stripes, the floor length scalloped sleeves edged with gold. She wears a gold and white horned headdress with a white veil. The background is painted in dark browny-grey gouache. The design is signed and dated and on the reverse is inscribed with the name of the actor and the pantomime. A swatch of silver lamé material is attached to the upper right hand corner by a metal paper clip.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gouache on paper, with attached fabric swatch
Brief description
Design by Cynthia Tingey for Big Hearted Martha in Babes in the Wood, London Palladium, 1965
Physical description
Design for Big Hearted Martha in Babes in the Wood, showing two full length female figures painted in an impressionistic style, the left hand figure in a full length, tight fitting, long sleeved, medieval style dress of white and gold fabric, the neck and floor length sleeves trimmed with three wide blue stripes and from each shoulders long hanging ribbons of yellow, orange and blue. She wears her fair hair in plaits coiled over the ears with a high pony tail tied with four blue ribbons decorated with white trimming. The right hand figure wears a blue, full length, long sleeved, medieval style dress with a high waist, the fronts, neck and hem trimmed with gold stripes, the floor length scalloped sleeves edged with gold. She wears a gold and white horned headdress with a white veil. The background is painted in dark browny-grey gouache. The design is signed and dated and on the reverse is inscribed with the name of the actor and the pantomime. A swatch of silver lamé material is attached to the upper right hand corner by a metal paper clip.
Dimensions
  • Height: 273mm
  • Width: 374mm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Cynthia Tingey - '65' (Signature; Lower centre; Handwriting; Ink)
  • 'Arthur Askey - Babes' (Textual information; Reverse; Handwriting; Pencil)
Credit line
Given by the artist
Object history
This is one of a collection of designs for pantomime and cabaret, given to the Theatre Museum by the designer, Cynthia Tingey, who created the costumes for 15 of the annual London Palladium pantomimes. This design was made for the pantomime, Babes in the Wood, at the London Palladium, 21 December 1965. The production was directed by Albert J. Knight. Arthur Askey played Big Hearted Martha.

Historical significance: An example of pantomime costume design of the second half of the 20th century and of the work of a designer who specialised in pantomime and variety design. It is also an example of a design for a pantomime dame.
Subjects depicted
Literary referenceBabes in the Wood
Collection
Accession number
S.39-1999

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Record createdMarch 31, 2000
Record URL
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