Showgirls and dancers at the Danny La Rue Club thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Showgirls and dancers at the Danny La Rue Club

Costume Design
1966 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Design for cabaret artistes at the Danny La Rue Club, showing six full length figures. From the left, a female figure in a diaphanous, white, sleeveless evening gown and full length white gloves, a showgirl in a white strapless 'leotard' trimmed at the bust with a pink bow and a white diaphanous peignoir, each shoulder decorated with a pink bow, a female figure in a pink, tight waisted, full length dress with a split skirt and a pink picture hat decorated with pale pink frills, a female dancer in a pale blue, polo necked, long sleeved top, a pink and blue horizontally striped mini skirt, blue tights and white boots, a male dancer in a pink shirt and trousers with a white belt, and a female dancer in a pink and white vertically striped, polo necked, long sleeved top, a blue mini skirt decorated all over with pink baubles and white, knee length boots or socks. The design is painted on black card and on the reverse are four pencil sketches of female figures. The design is signed and dated and inscribed with the name of the venue.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleShowgirls and dancers at the Danny La Rue Club (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Gouache on card
Brief description
Design by Cynthia Tingey for dancers at the Danny La Rue Club, London, 1966
Physical description
Design for cabaret artistes at the Danny La Rue Club, showing six full length figures. From the left, a female figure in a diaphanous, white, sleeveless evening gown and full length white gloves, a showgirl in a white strapless 'leotard' trimmed at the bust with a pink bow and a white diaphanous peignoir, each shoulder decorated with a pink bow, a female figure in a pink, tight waisted, full length dress with a split skirt and a pink picture hat decorated with pale pink frills, a female dancer in a pale blue, polo necked, long sleeved top, a pink and blue horizontally striped mini skirt, blue tights and white boots, a male dancer in a pink shirt and trousers with a white belt, and a female dancer in a pink and white vertically striped, polo necked, long sleeved top, a blue mini skirt decorated all over with pink baubles and white, knee length boots or socks. The design is painted on black card and on the reverse are four pencil sketches of female figures. The design is signed and dated and inscribed with the name of the venue.
Dimensions
  • Height: 75cm
  • Width: 49.8cm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Cynthia Tingey -'66' (Artist's signature in gouache, lower right hand corner)
  • 'DANNY LA RUE CLUB' (Handwritten annotation in gouache, upper left hand corner)
Gallery label
Gallery rotation, 2020 COSTUME DESIGN FOR DANCERS AT THE DANNY LA RUE CLUB 1966 Cynthia Tingey specialised in designing pantomimes and variety shows. In the 1960s she created costumes for dancers and showgirls at the London cabaret club owned by, and named after, popular female impersonator Danny La Rue. The club, which ran from 1964 until 1972, staged glamorous revues. It attracted celebrity visitors, including Princess Margaret, Judy Garland and the Beatles. Designed by Cynthia Tingey Gouache on card Given by the artist Museum no. S.75-1999(2020)
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 a cabaret at the Danny La Rue Club, London, in 1966.

Historical significance: An example of cabaret costume design of the second half of the 20th century and of the work of a designer who specialised in pantomime and variety design.
Subject depicted
Collection
Accession number
S.75-1999

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdApril 12, 2000
Record URL
Download as: JSON