7 sheets of designs, notes and fabric swatches relating to one of the costumes designed by Hugh Durrant for Julian Clary as the Spirit of the Bells under the sea and in the Twelve Days of Christmas routine in Dick Whittington, London Palladium, 14 December 2017

S.138:1-2019
One of seven sheets of fabric swatches, designs and notes by Hugh Durrant for Julian Clary as the Spirit of the Bells undersea, and in the Twelve Days of Christmas routine in Dick Whittington, London Palladium, 14 December 2017. Coloured design of the whole costume with oyster shell and seaweed headdress and scalloped wings. Signed and dated by Hugh Durrant and inscribed by him: 'Mr Julian Clary’ ‘Oyster shell hat/Easily removed’ ‘Undersea/12 Days of Christmas’

S.138:2-2019
One of seven sheets of fabric swatches, designs and notes by Hugh Durrant for Julian Clary as the Spirit of the Bells undersea, and in the Twelve Days of Christmas routine in Dick Whittington, London Palladium, 14 December 2017. Revised, uncoloured design of the whole costume with oyster shell and more luxuriant seaweed headdress. Signed and dated by Hugh Durrant and inscribed by him: 'Mr Julian Clary’ ‘Undersea 12 Days of Christmas’ Revised

S.138:3-2019
One of seven sheets of fabric swatches, designs and notes by Hugh Durrant for Julian Clary as the Spirit of the Bells undersea, and in the Twelve Days of Christmas routine in Dick Whittington, London Palladium, 14 December 2017. Alternative, uncoloured design of the whole costume and bell-topped staff with oyster shell and bell headdress and oyster shell panniers. Signed and dated by Hugh Durrant and inscribed by him: 'Mr Julian Clary’ ‘Undersea’ ‘Alternative oyster shell costume’ ‘Takes off shell panniers & possibly headdress for 12 Days of Christmas’ ‘Version’

S.138:4-2019
One of seven sheets of fabric swatches, designs and notes by Hugh Durrant for Julian Clary as the Spirit of the Bells undersea, and in the Twelve Days of Christmas routine in Dick Whittington, London Palladium, 14 December 2017. Alternative, coloured design of the whole costume and bell-topped staff, with pearl-strewn headdress, wings, tunic, panniers, underskirt and boots. Signed and dated by Hugh Durrant and inscribed by him: 'Mr Julian Clary’ ‘Alternative 2nd costume on ship’

S.138:5-2019
One of seven sheets of fabric swatches, designs and notes by Hugh Durrant for Julian Clary as the Spirit of the Bells undersea, and in the Twelve Days of Christmas routine in Dick Whittington, London Palladium, 14 December 2017. Differently-coloured version of S.138:5-2019, the alternative design of the whole costume and bell-topped staff, with pearl-strewn headdress, wings, tunic, panniers, underskirt and boots. Signed and dated by Hugh Durrant

S.138:6-2019
One of seven sheets of fabric swatches, designs and notes by Hugh Durrant for Julian Clary as the Spirit of the Bells undersea, and in the Twelve Days of Christmas routine in Dick Whittington, London Palladium, 14 December 2017. Uncoloured design, a simplified version of the other underseas costumes, without panniers

S.138:7-2019
One of seven sheets of fabric swatches, designs and notes by Hugh Durrant for Julian Clary as the Spirit of the Bells undersea, and in the Twelve Days of Christmas routine in Dick Whittington, London Palladium, 14 December 2017. A sheet of 12 numbered fabric swatches inscribed ‘Julian’s scales under water’ inscribed with a note to Hugh from the costumiers: ‘Hugh. We tried to make the scales in sequin fabric but it didn’t work. We could use these fabrics and add sequins on the top like the above sample. What do you think?’

Given by the artist

This is a set of designs, notes and fabric swatches for one of the ten costumes designed by Hugh Durrant and worn by Julian Clary as the Spirit of the Bells in the pantomime Dick Whittington at the London Palladium, 14 December 2017. As the star of the show Julian Clary wore what Claire Allfree described in her Daily Telegraph review as: 'a parade of exquisitely outlandish outfits', each based on his role as the Spirit of the Bells but working as gloriously ebullient visual metaphors relating to London, or to the Spirit's exploits in the action. These designs use various underwater elements to decorate the costume worn by the Spirit of the Bells when the ship sank and the cast was under the sea.

Dick Whittington was a lavishly designed production, the second pantomime mounted in the West End by Qdos after Cinderella, December 2016, which brought pantomime back to the theatre with great success after a gap of thirty years. Dick Whittington was followed in December 2018 by Snow White, each featuring Julian Clary as an outlandish and extravagantly dressed character wearing Hugh Durrant's witty and inventive costumes. In Cinderella he played Dandini, and in Snow White, the Man in the Mirror.

Hugh Durrant is an award-winning London-based theatre designer whose costumes for Julian Clary and Elaine Paige in Dick Whittington were nominated for best costume designs of 2017 in the Olivier Awards, April 2018. All other costumes in the production were designed by Ron Briggs, with sets by Ian Westbrook.

S.138:1 to 7-2019