Not currently on display at the V&A

Pat Kirkwood as Robin Hood in Babes in the Wood

Caricature
ca. December 1961 to ca. January 1962 (dated)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This caricature shows Pat Kirkwood (1921-2007) as Robin Hood in Babes In The Wood by Emile Littler at the Oxford New Theatre in December 1961. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.

Pat Kirkwood was a singing star who made her stage debut in music hall aged fifteen, billed as ‘The Schoolgirl Songstress’. She went on to become London’s first wartime star at the age of seventeen, a popular stage and television performer and a favourite Peter Pan.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePat Kirkwood as Robin Hood in <i>Babes in the Wood</i> (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pencil, pen and ink and wash on paper
Brief description
Pencil, pen and ink and wash caricature on paper of Pat Kirkwood as Robin Hood in Babes in the Wood at the New Theatre Oxford, by Gilbert Sommerlad, Christmas 1961.
Physical description
Pencil, pen and ink and wash caricature of Pat Kirkwood as Robin Hood in Babes in the Wood at the New Theatre Oxford. Dated Christmas 1961. From a hard-backed sketch book containing caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad.
Dimensions
  • Height: 25cm
  • Width: 17.6cm
Credit line
Given by Michael Sommerlad
Object history
This caricature comes from an album of caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert J.Sommerlad (1904-1976) between October 1957 and October 1965 at the Oxford New Theatre. Gilbert Sommerlad moved from Brighton to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist in 1936. He continued with his caricatures until his retirement.
Subject depicted
Summary
This caricature shows Pat Kirkwood (1921-2007) as Robin Hood in Babes In The Wood by Emile Littler at the Oxford New Theatre in December 1961. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.

Pat Kirkwood was a singing star who made her stage debut in music hall aged fifteen, billed as ‘The Schoolgirl Songstress’. She went on to become London’s first wartime star at the age of seventeen, a popular stage and television performer and a favourite Peter Pan.
Collection
Accession number
S.133:34-2002

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Record createdDecember 8, 2003
Record URL
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