Not currently on display at the V&A

Costume Design

1974 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Design for a showgirl in the Royalty Folies, showing a full length, topless, female figure wearing a minute pair of blue briefs edged in yellow, orange mid calf length boots and copious necklaces and bangles, with an African style headdress in the form of a buffalo's or similar animal's head, with large purple horns randomly spotted in pink, a full mask with, from the crown, an exaggerated plume of multicoloured feathers and beads and, to the back, a large yellow tassel. The whole framed in a rectangle drawn in ink.The background is painted in grey-brown gouache. The design is signed and dated and on the reverse is inscribed with the name of the production and the character.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink and gouache on paper
Brief description
Design by Cynthia Tingey for a Showgirl in the Royalty Folies, Royalty Theatre, 1974
Physical description
Design for a showgirl in the Royalty Folies, showing a full length, topless, female figure wearing a minute pair of blue briefs edged in yellow, orange mid calf length boots and copious necklaces and bangles, with an African style headdress in the form of a buffalo's or similar animal's head, with large purple horns randomly spotted in pink, a full mask with, from the crown, an exaggerated plume of multicoloured feathers and beads and, to the back, a large yellow tassel. The whole framed in a rectangle drawn in ink.The background is painted in grey-brown gouache. The design is signed and dated and on the reverse is inscribed with the name of the production and the character.
Dimensions
  • Height: 374mm
  • Width: 274mm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Cynthia Tingey -'74' (Signature; Lower right hand corner; Handwriting; Ink)
  • 'Royalty Foillies / Showgirls' (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 Paul Raymond's Royalty Folies, Royalty Theatre,18 March 1974.

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
Literary referenceRoyalty Folies
Collection
Accession number
S.147-1999

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Record createdJuly 6, 2000
Record URL
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