Not currently on display at the V&A

Costume design for Berwick Kaler as Betty Turpin in Dick Turpin

Costume Design
2008 (Made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Berwick Kaler played the Dame in all the hugely popular pantomimes that he wrote for the York Theatre Royal, wearing a series of increasingly inventive and witty costumes. Many of them celebrated or referred to local and topical events. This wedding dress, designed by Charles Cusick Smith for Kaler's character Betty Turpin in Dick Turpin, the theatre's 2008 pantomime, features a large White Rose of York on its skirt. It was Berwick Kaler's 30th pantomime for the Theatre Royal, and the number 30 is used in the decoration on the bodice.

Berwick Kaler never wore make-up for his Dames, who he always wanted to be patently a man in a frock. To this end he also wore the brown workman's boots that can be seen in this design. Their laces were their only flamboyant note - one yellow and one red - worn to contrast with the socks, with one red leg and one yellow.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCostume design for Berwick Kaler as Betty Turpin in <i>Dick Turpin</i> (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Watercolour and pen on card with attached fabric swatch
Brief description
Costume design by Charles Cusick Smith for Berwick Kaler as Betty Turpin in Dick Turpin at the York Theatre Royal, December 2008
Physical description
Costume design by Charles Cusick Smith for Berwick Kaler as Betty Turpin in Dick Turpin. Full length figure of a Pantomime Dame, wearing an elaborate white wedding dress with the number 30 in white beads on the bodice and a heraldic White Rose of York on the skirt. She has a veil trimmed with white roses and heavy boots, worn with one yellow sock and one red sock. With a line drawing of the back of the dress, lower right, and an attached fabric swatch, upper right.
Dimensions
  • Height: 42cm
  • Width: 30cm
Credit line
Given by the artist
Summary
Berwick Kaler played the Dame in all the hugely popular pantomimes that he wrote for the York Theatre Royal, wearing a series of increasingly inventive and witty costumes. Many of them celebrated or referred to local and topical events. This wedding dress, designed by Charles Cusick Smith for Kaler's character Betty Turpin in Dick Turpin, the theatre's 2008 pantomime, features a large White Rose of York on its skirt. It was Berwick Kaler's 30th pantomime for the Theatre Royal, and the number 30 is used in the decoration on the bodice.

Berwick Kaler never wore make-up for his Dames, who he always wanted to be patently a man in a frock. To this end he also wore the brown workman's boots that can be seen in this design. Their laces were their only flamboyant note - one yellow and one red - worn to contrast with the socks, with one red leg and one yellow.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
S.997-2017

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Record createdNovember 22, 2016
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