Not currently on display at the V&A

Costume Design

1963 (Painted, Drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Costume design for Edith Coates as Mrs Trapes. The design depicts a full length female figure wearing an 18th century style costume. The costume consists of a long blue patterned wrap edged with brown flounces worn over a black hood and cape, mob cap, an orange brown overskirt, and a purple underskirt. The figure also wears a pair of white gloves; and a wicker basket hangs from her waist.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pencil, Pen & Ink, Ink, Crayon, and White Paint, on Paper
Brief description
Costume design by Alix Stone for Edith Coates as Mrs Trapes in "The Beggar's Opera", Aldeburgh Festival, June 20th 1963
Physical description
Costume design for Edith Coates as Mrs Trapes. The design depicts a full length female figure wearing an 18th century style costume. The costume consists of a long blue patterned wrap edged with brown flounces worn over a black hood and cape, mob cap, an orange brown overskirt, and a purple underskirt. The figure also wears a pair of white gloves; and a wicker basket hangs from her waist.
Dimensions
  • Height: 543mm
  • Width: 361mm
  • Mount height: 635mm
  • Mount width: 508mm
The design has been glued directly onto a card mount.
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • ' Alix Stone ' (Signature; Lower left hand corner of the design; handwriting; pencil)
  • ' Mrs Trapes / Wig / Head scarf / Frock / 1 Underskirt / 2nd '' / Shirt Fur tippet / Shoes Rap / Stockings / Stole Gloves Basket, 2 Bags odds & ends ' (Textual information; Lower part of the design.; handwriting; pencil)
  • ' A6 / Miss Edith Coates ' (Textual information; Upper right hand corner of the mount.; handwriting; pencil)
Object history
This costume design by Alix Stone is part of an extensive collection of designs purchased by the Theatre Museum directly from the artist in 1994. The design was executed for a production of Benjamin Britten's version of John Gay's opera "The Beggar's Opera" at the Aldeburgh Festival, June 20th 1963. The opera was produced by Colin Graham, and conducted by Benjamin Britten. The production was revived at the Edinburgh Festival in August 1963, and at Sadler's Wells in July 1967.
Production
Reason For Production: Commission
Subjects depicted
Associations
Literary referenceThe Beggar's Opera
Bibliographic reference
"The Beggar's Opera, A Ballad-Opera", by John Gay (1728) in a new musical version realised from the original airs by Benjamin Britten (1948). Vocal Score by Arthur Oldham. Published 1949, by Hawkes & Son (London) Ltd. A copy of this score is in the Theatre Museum Library. Catalogue number M1503.B853 Folio. Dynix Number #509380.
Collection
Accession number
S.92-2001

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Record createdApril 6, 2001
Record URL
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