There is some debate regarding which costume this cloak formed a part of. It was intially through that Henry Irving (1838-1905) wore this cloak as Richard in Act V of Richard III by William Shakespeare (1564-1616). If so it dates from Irving’s revival of the play in 1896. By having the left shoulder shaped to fit over a false hump, Irving used the costume to visually support his characterization of the role.

It has however also been suggested that Irving may have worn the cloak for the role of Iago in the 1881 production ofOthello by William Shakespeare (1564-1616). (See Martin Holmes, London Museum: Stage Costumes and Accessories, 1974.) In this production Irving alternated the role of Iago and Othello with the American actor, Edwin Booth (1833-1893). Most critics appear to have preferred Booth’s Othello to Irving’s, though neither actor won great praise and the general opinion was that though audiences had witnessed ‘two simply masterful Iagos’ they had also endured ‘two insufficient Othellos’.

Irving became a professional actor in 1856, and learned his trade in regional theatres until 1866, when he came to London. He joined the Lyceum Theatre company under the management of H. L. Bateman in 1871, winning great acclaim that year for his psychologically developed characterisation of the guilt-ridden inn-keeper Mathias in Leopold Lewis’s melodrama The Bells. He took on the responsibilities of ‘actor-manager’ in 1878 when he assumed the management of the Lyceum, and remained there until 1902, enjoying star status with his leading lady Ellen Terry (1847-1928). Irving produced a diverse range of old and new plays at the Lyceum, including Shakespeare, historical drama, and literary adaptations. His tireless work to elevate the status of the theatrical profession was rewarded in 1895 when he became the first actor ever to receive a knighthood for services to the Theatre.

Irving specialised in spectacularly staged productions with large casts of performers. He commissioned designers and composers to create appropriate scenery, costume and incidental music, played by a full orchestra. Although electric lighting was available from the 1880s, Irving preferred the softer effects of gas, with lime light to focus attention at key points in the play. Irving toured complete productions outside London, taking the full company, scenery and costumes throughout the United Kingdom and across the United States and Canada. The development of the railway system made his the first generation able to achieve this level of touring productions.