Costume design by Hugh Durrant for Alan Simmons as Captain Birdseye and Keith Simmons as Findus the Mate in Act I scene 1 of "Dick Whittington", Birmingham Hippodrome, 1993.

Costume design for Alan Simmons as Captain Birdseye and Keith Simmons as Findus, the mate in Act I scene 1. The design depicts two full length male figures wearing pantomime costume. The figure on the left wears a blue and white striped jacket with sailor collar; blue & white striped tight trousers; blue "bucket" style boots; a red belt worn around the waist; and a large white hat with a blue band at the edge, decorated on the brim with a pair of white bird wings and a minature life belt. The figure on the left wears a blue and white striped sailor shirt; yellow ragged trousers tied with a piece of rope at the waist; blue and white striped socks; fawn coloured ankle boots; and a white "sailor" style stocking cap.

Given by Hugh Durrant

This costume design by Hugh Durrant is part of a group of designs donated to the Theatre Museum by the artist in 1994. The design was executed for a production of the pantomime "Dick Whittington" performed at the Birmingham Hippodrome on 22nd December 1993. The show was directed by Carole Todd, and the lighting was designed by Andrew Gardner. The cast included Lesley Joseph as Fairy Bow Bells, John Nettles as King Rat, Rosemarie Ford as Dick, Jeffrey Holland as Ada the Cook, and Wayne Sleep as Tommy the Cat.

The production was filmed for inclusion in the National Video Archive of Stage Performance at the Theatre Museum in February 1994 (Catalogue numbers 94/04/V/9001 and 94/04/V/9002 ). These designs were partly acquired as a compliment to the film with the aim of recording the creative progress from the designer's drawings to their realisation on stage.

Historical significance: An excellent example of late 20th century costume design for pantomime, which is currently poorly represented in the Theatre Museum Collection.

Reason For Production: Commission

S.753-2001