The School for Scandal - Walter Montgomery Costume Design, 2015
Title
The School for Scandal - Walter Montgomery Costume Design, 2015
Date
March 2015
Description
Costume design by Isobel Hollis for character of Walter Montgomery in The School for Scandal
What's the story?
The School for Scandal was the first production to be staged at the Theatre Royal Nottingham on 25 September 1865, therefore 150 years later it seemed right to revive the production as part of the venue’s 150th anniversary celebrations in 2015.
This new community production was produced by the venue’s Creative Learning department and sought to put the Theatre Royal itself as one of the ‘stars’ of the show by staging the show as a promenade production. Cast and audience moved from scene to scene, utilising the foyers, the portico, the green room and finally the actual stage itself, with the magnificent Phipps/Matcham auditorium as the set.
On arrival at the Theatre Royal the audience assembled in the stalls bar. At a given point four actors playing Victorian stage managers/clowns moved the audience to outside the theatre where they were greeted by Walter Montgomery (played by director David Longford) the Theatre Royal’s first manager in 1865, who introduced this show and then acted as MC throughout the show.
Costumes were designed and made by Theatre and Costume Design students from Nottingham Trent University.
Isobel Hollis designed the costume for Walter Montgomery in March 2015 and inspired by the history of the Theatre Royal, Izzy based her design on the Victorian playbill for Montgomery’s original 1865 production.
This design was then printed onto cloth and a rather fine Victorian coat was born.
As this coat is so special and unique to the Theatre Royal, it is now on permanent display in the Theatre Royal stalls foyer.
Please click on the production photographs below to see the coat in action.
This new community production was produced by the venue’s Creative Learning department and sought to put the Theatre Royal itself as one of the ‘stars’ of the show by staging the show as a promenade production. Cast and audience moved from scene to scene, utilising the foyers, the portico, the green room and finally the actual stage itself, with the magnificent Phipps/Matcham auditorium as the set.
On arrival at the Theatre Royal the audience assembled in the stalls bar. At a given point four actors playing Victorian stage managers/clowns moved the audience to outside the theatre where they were greeted by Walter Montgomery (played by director David Longford) the Theatre Royal’s first manager in 1865, who introduced this show and then acted as MC throughout the show.
Costumes were designed and made by Theatre and Costume Design students from Nottingham Trent University.
Isobel Hollis designed the costume for Walter Montgomery in March 2015 and inspired by the history of the Theatre Royal, Izzy based her design on the Victorian playbill for Montgomery’s original 1865 production.
This design was then printed onto cloth and a rather fine Victorian coat was born.
As this coat is so special and unique to the Theatre Royal, it is now on permanent display in the Theatre Royal stalls foyer.
Please click on the production photographs below to see the coat in action.
Type
Costume design and photographs
Location of item
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Rights
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Contributor
Researcher: David Longford
