Set Design
1958 (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Great Britain’s leading theatre designer from the early 1930s to the mid 1950s, Oliver Messel (1904-1978) won international acclaim for his lavish, painterly and poetic designs informed by period styles. His work spans ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue. Messel’s traditional style of theatre design became unfashionable from the mid 1950s onwards, and he increasingly concentrated on painting, interior and textile design, including designing luxury homes in the Caribbean.
Sheridan’s School for Scandal (1777) was performed at the Det Ny Theatre, Copenhagen in 1958. Directed by Sam Besekow and featuring Bodil Kjer as Lady Teazle and Olaf Ussing as Sir Oliver Surface, the production received critical acclaim. Messel’s exuberant pastiche of 18th-century style was well suited to the artificiality and wit of Sheridan’s comedy of manners.
Messel’s made several attempts to draw Charles Surface’s hallway, Act III, scene ii. His inscription indicates that he used charcoal to describe stage lighting effects.
Sheridan’s School for Scandal (1777) was performed at the Det Ny Theatre, Copenhagen in 1958. Directed by Sam Besekow and featuring Bodil Kjer as Lady Teazle and Olaf Ussing as Sir Oliver Surface, the production received critical acclaim. Messel’s exuberant pastiche of 18th-century style was well suited to the artificiality and wit of Sheridan’s comedy of manners.
Messel’s made several attempts to draw Charles Surface’s hallway, Act III, scene ii. His inscription indicates that he used charcoal to describe stage lighting effects.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Charcoal, pencil, gouache, watercolour, ink and wash on cardboard |
| Brief description | Set design by Oliver Messel for the hallway in Charles Surface's house, Act III, scene ii of Richard Brinsley Sheridan's play The School for Scandal, Det Ny Theatre, Copenhagen, 1958. |
| Physical description | A set design for a hallway in Charles Surface's house, Act III, scene II, School for Scandal, 1958. A view of doorways, alcove and vaulting. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production type | Design |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'The drawing of this one is better same as on squared tracing. / dont exagerate the charcoal spottiness / reduce it to just work to get slight vibration. / The photograph of the first cloth gives the exact effect I want to put on the stage. / This one I have simply / done to / clarify the drawing / a bit. / so have to have a / look at both. / (Pencil inscription on the front of the design.) |
| Credit line | Acquired with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and the Friends of the V&A |
| Object history | The School for Scandal (1777), a play in five acts by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Oliver Messel’s production was first performed at the Det Ny Theatre, Copenhagen, 19 September 1958. It was directed by Sam Besekow and featured Bodil Kjer as Lady Teazle and Olaf Ussing as Sir Oliver Surface. Lord Snowdon, Oliver Messel's nephew, inherited Messel's theatre designs and other designs and artefacts. The designs were briefly stored in a disused chapel in Kensington Palace before being housed at the V&A from 1981 on indefinite loan. The V&A Theatre Museum purchased the Oliver Messel collection from Lord Snowdon in 2005. |
| Production | Reason For Production: Commission |
| Summary | Great Britain’s leading theatre designer from the early 1930s to the mid 1950s, Oliver Messel (1904-1978) won international acclaim for his lavish, painterly and poetic designs informed by period styles. His work spans ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue. Messel’s traditional style of theatre design became unfashionable from the mid 1950s onwards, and he increasingly concentrated on painting, interior and textile design, including designing luxury homes in the Caribbean. Sheridan’s School for Scandal (1777) was performed at the Det Ny Theatre, Copenhagen in 1958. Directed by Sam Besekow and featuring Bodil Kjer as Lady Teazle and Olaf Ussing as Sir Oliver Surface, the production received critical acclaim. Messel’s exuberant pastiche of 18th-century style was well suited to the artificiality and wit of Sheridan’s comedy of manners. Messel’s made several attempts to draw Charles Surface’s hallway, Act III, scene ii. His inscription indicates that he used charcoal to describe stage lighting effects. |
| Bibliographic reference | Pinkham, Roger (ed.) Oliver Messel: an exhibition held at the Theatre Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, 22 June - 30 September 1983.
London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983. 200p., ill
ISBN 0905209508) |
| Other number | ROT 3196 - TM Rotation Number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.303-2006 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | August 24, 2006 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
