Mother Goose thumbnail 1
Mother Goose thumbnail 2
On display

Mother Goose

Theatre Costume
2014 (made)
Artist/Maker
Collett, Lotte (designers)
Place of origin
London (made)

Costume designed by Lotte Collett for Mother Goose (Jamaican Flag) in the pantomime Mother Goose, Hackney Empire, London, 2014.

Writer and director Susie McKenna’s Hackney Empire pantomimes reference popular culture and celebrate the theatre’s local community. This Jamaican flag inspired costume designed by Lotte Collett reflects Hackney’s status as one of London’s most diverse boroughs and was worn underneath Mother Goose's Nursery Rhyme dress to enable a comedic quick change onstage.

Object details

Categories
Entertainment & Leisure
Theatre
Pantomime
Theatre Costume
Object type
Theatre costume
Parts
This object consists of 4 parts.

  • Costumes
  • Costume
  • Costumes
  • Costumes
TitleMother Goose (generic title)
Brief description
Costume designed by Lotte Collett for Mother Goose (Jamaican Flag) in the pantomime Mother Goose, Hackney Empire, London, 2014
Gallery label
(01/07/2023)
Quick change

Pantomime costumes are colourful, jokey and clever – and help tell the story.

Actor Clive Rowe’s character, Mother Goose, needed to rush home so whipped off another dress to reveal one based on the Jamaican Olympic sprinter, Usain Bolt.

Pantomime costume from Mother Goose, performed at the Hackney Empire Theatre
Designed by Lotte Collet
2014
London
Silk, cotton, synthetic textiles, metal and leather
Given by Lotte Collett and Susie McKenna on behalf of Hackney Empire
Museum no. S.595-2016

[Young V&A, Imagine Gallery, The Stage, long object label]
(2023)
Oh no, he isn’t! Oh yes, he is!

A pantomime dame is a funny, over-the-top female role that appears in most pantos.

Dames are usually played by men and always have extravagant outfits – like this one.

[Young V&A, Imagine Gallery short object label]
(2023)
He’s behind you!

Panto is not like other shows. The audience gets involved with singing, cheering the ‘goodies’ and booing the ‘baddies’.

Pantos usually happen in Britain in December and poke fun at events from that year.

[Young V&A, Imagine Gallery short object label]
(28/11/2016)
Writer and director Susie McKenna’s pantomimes at the Hackney Empire often reference popular culture. As well as featuring the pop band Little Mix and cartoon character Dora the Explorer, Mother Goose also saw performer Clive Rowe appear as the Dame in a costume inspired by Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt. Earlier that year, Bolt had visited the UK to take part in the Commonwealth Games.
Credit line
Given by Lotte Collett and Susie McKenna on behalf of Hackney Empire
Object history
The Jamaican Flag costume is designed to be worn under the Nursery Rhyme costume (S.594-2016). The turban with attached ringlets and hoop earrings is worn beneath the mob cap (S.594:2-2016) and is Velcro-ed to it in performance.
Summary
Costume designed by Lotte Collett for Mother Goose (Jamaican Flag) in the pantomime Mother Goose, Hackney Empire, London, 2014.

Writer and director Susie McKenna’s Hackney Empire pantomimes reference popular culture and celebrate the theatre’s local community. This Jamaican flag inspired costume designed by Lotte Collett reflects Hackney’s status as one of London’s most diverse boroughs and was worn underneath Mother Goose's Nursery Rhyme dress to enable a comedic quick change onstage.
Associated objects
Collection
Theatre and Performance Collection
Accession number
S.595:1 to 4-2016

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

Record createdAugust 30, 2016
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1364468/mother-goose-theatre-costume-collett-lotte/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest