Fastening her Dress. Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies (1891-1992) being dressed for her role as Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Regent Theatre, 24 May 1924. Pencil, watercolour, charcoal and pen and ink by Laura Knight (1877-1970).

Pencil, watercolour, charcoal, and pen and ink painting on cartridge paper glued to a larger card support, showing Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies in a dressing room, standing to the right of the picture looking to her left, wearing a yellow snood with a central jewel on her forehead, being laced into a pink underdress for her Juliet costume. The empire-line underdress has a low-cut scoop neckline, edged with a white cotton frill and trimmed with black ribbon, and a central inset white cotton panel, laced and trimmed with black ribbon. Her dresser who stands behind her wears a light brown blouse, a dark brown skirt and a white apron. She is standing in front of a rack of hanging costumes, one blue and one yellow and black.

Given by the friends of Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies

After this painting was purchased by the Theatre Museum from the Trim Bridge Galleries, the gallery owner Janet Anderson sent a copy of a letter to the museum signed by Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies. This was written to Janet Anderson from Tagley Cottage, dated 12 April 1991, in response to a request by Janet Anderson about the painting and her suspicion that the Juliet dress was different from that depicted by Laura Knight. The letter, penned by assistant, reads:

'Dear Miss Anderson, Thank you for your letter which brought back memories of long ago. The production of Romeo and Juliet was first done at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre when Paul Shelving did wonderful sets and dresses. This picture is a fancy portrait of Juliet's underdress which was actually corn yellow satin over which was an emerald green dress stencilled with gold flowers. In those days Paul Shelving was limited to materials and costs! The bandeau on the head is Laura's imagination - I never wore one like that. But Laura Knight was a dear friend of mine at the time and used to sit in my dressing room and make sketches which she subsequently used. I hope this will answer your questions satisfactorily! Best wishes very sincerely Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies.'

This painting by Laura Knight (1877-1970) shows Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies (1891-1992) being laced into the underdress of her Juliet costume at London's Regent Theatre in 1924. This production of Romeo and Juliet in which Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies starred, with sets and costumes designed by Paul Shelving, opened at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre on 27 May 1922, with Ion Swinley as Romeo. It was revived at London's Regent Theatre on 24th May 1924, with John Gielgud as Romeo.

Laura Knight was fascinated by the theatre and the circus, and at Newlyn, Cornwall, in about 1912 met Barry Jackson, the theatre impresario of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, who later allowed her to paint backstage at the Birmingham Rep., and at the Regent Theatre which he leased in 1924. Almost seventy years later Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies remembered that the Juliet underdress was not actually pink but corn- yellow satin, and that the head-dress was an invention of Laura Knight's, who became a great friend. The painting was presented to the Theatre Museum by the friends of Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies to celebrate her remarkable stage career.

S.1-1992