Anthony Holland costume design
Costume Design
1979 (painted)
1979 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Anthony Holland (1912-2001) made his first stage designs for the play, The Road to Rome, at Liverpool Repertory Theatre in 1933. He subsequently created sets and costumes for repertory theatres throughout Britain. After World War II he regularly worked in London's West End, and also became well-known as a designer of ice shows and pantomimes. Later in his career Holland designed operas for the Camden Festival and Sadler's Wells Theatre, before retiring from the stage in 1981.
In 1979 Anthony Holland created spectacular outfits for Cinderella's Ugly Sisters in the pantomime at the King's Theatre in Edinburgh. Pantomime gives the costume designer plenty of opportunity to create absurd outfits for the comic characters. No pantomime is complete without the larger-than-life Dame, traditionally played by a man, whose outrageous dresses are 'sight gag' costumes, designed to make an audience laugh as soon as 'she' walks on stage. In Cinderella designers can have fun with costumes for two Dames, the heroine's Ugly Sisters. This design was made for comic actor Stanley Baxter, the much-loved star of many Scottish pantomimes.
In 1979 Anthony Holland created spectacular outfits for Cinderella's Ugly Sisters in the pantomime at the King's Theatre in Edinburgh. Pantomime gives the costume designer plenty of opportunity to create absurd outfits for the comic characters. No pantomime is complete without the larger-than-life Dame, traditionally played by a man, whose outrageous dresses are 'sight gag' costumes, designed to make an audience laugh as soon as 'she' walks on stage. In Cinderella designers can have fun with costumes for two Dames, the heroine's Ugly Sisters. This design was made for comic actor Stanley Baxter, the much-loved star of many Scottish pantomimes.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Anthony Holland costume design (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, gouache, silver paint, Ink, on paper |
| Brief description | Costume design by Anthony Holland for Stanley Baxter as an Ugly Sister in Cinderella, King's Theatre, Edinburgh, 1979 |
| Physical description | Costume design for Stanley Baxter as an Ugly Sister in "Cinderella". The design depicts a full length male figure with both arms outstretched. The figure wears an elaborate pantomime costume in the style of a clarinet. The dress consists of a black tubular dress with an extended hem at calf level. The dress is heavily decorated at the front, at the hips, at the collar, and at the shoulders with silver piping which is meant to depict the clarinet keys. The figure wears a pair of long black gloves and a pair of black stilettoes which are also decorated with "silver keys". The hat is in the style of an elaborate clarinet mouthpiece in black and silver. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Credit line | Given by Mr. Anthony Holland |
| Object history | This costume design by Anthony Holland is part of an extensive collection of designs donated to the Theatre Museum by the artist in 1996. The design was executed for a production of the pantomime "Cinderella" at the King's Theatre, Edinburgh, December 7th, 1979. The production was directed by Bruce McClure, and the settings and costumes were designed by Berkeley Sutcliffe. Anthony Holland designed the costumes for the Ugly Sisters. Historical significance: An example of late 20th century costume design for a pantomime dame by an artist who worked extensively in this specialised area. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Literary reference | Cinderella |
| Summary | Anthony Holland (1912-2001) made his first stage designs for the play, The Road to Rome, at Liverpool Repertory Theatre in 1933. He subsequently created sets and costumes for repertory theatres throughout Britain. After World War II he regularly worked in London's West End, and also became well-known as a designer of ice shows and pantomimes. Later in his career Holland designed operas for the Camden Festival and Sadler's Wells Theatre, before retiring from the stage in 1981. In 1979 Anthony Holland created spectacular outfits for Cinderella's Ugly Sisters in the pantomime at the King's Theatre in Edinburgh. Pantomime gives the costume designer plenty of opportunity to create absurd outfits for the comic characters. No pantomime is complete without the larger-than-life Dame, traditionally played by a man, whose outrageous dresses are 'sight gag' costumes, designed to make an audience laugh as soon as 'she' walks on stage. In Cinderella designers can have fun with costumes for two Dames, the heroine's Ugly Sisters. This design was made for comic actor Stanley Baxter, the much-loved star of many Scottish pantomimes. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.551-2000 |
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| Record created | August 9, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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