"Folkbeard - Architects of Fantasy This is no ordinary exhibition, but an experience like no other - an insight into the workings of one of Europe's most innovative comic art/theatre and film companies. The exhibition serves as an intriguing retrospective of the last 25 years of Forkbeard as well as highlighting how Forkbeard's work stems from a tradition of vibrant experimental performance that emerged dusing the 60s/70s. Forkbeard specialise in a theatre of animation, a theatre combining cartoon, film, magically automated sets, mechanical characters, and extraordinary large scale puppets and creatures. With the aid of an onsite animator, visitors will be able to operate pulleys, handles, switches, film loops and peep shows, and become involved in an exhibition which is also an ever changing living art work."

The Folkbeard Exhibit:

Two 18th century Italian Theatre Costumes.  The one on the right is a late "Habit a'la Romaine" 

Apron reportedly worn by the First Polly Peachum in The Beggar's Opera, Early 18th Century.

Painting of Arrlechina, 18th Century, 

Mme. Vestris' Stage Jewelry 1820's & 30's.  Mme. Vestris was a notable Actor-manager of the early 19th Century, mainly famous now as the inventor of the "box" set.

Sculptures and shoe of Marie Taglioni, the first ballerina to rise onto Pointe in the 1830's & 40's.  Her shoes are scarcely stiffened, and Tagloni would rise only for a moment into this position.  Later dancers stiffened their shoes further, and large sections of later ballets are done on Pointe. Talioni was best known for playing the title role in La Sylphede.

Burlesque Costumes of the late 19th Century.  The Red costume is for a "Principal Boy", ie, a woman playing the role of a boy.

Costume designs for the original productions of Gilbert and Sullivan Operas:  The Mikado, Col. Fairfax(?) in The Yeoman of the Guard, Tessa in The Gondoliers, and Rose Maybud(?) in Ruddigore, 1880's

Music Hall Costumes, late 19th Century,

Costumes Designed by Leon Bakst for the Ballets Russes prodution of The Firebird

Other Ballets Russes costumes

Model of a turn of the century stage set and theatre

Costume for Phillis in Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe, as re-designed by George Sheringham in the 1920's

Replica of an Actor's dressing room of the 1910's, with makeup kit of the time.

Costume worn by Ian Richardson as Vendice in the 1966 Royal Shakespeare Company's production of The Revenger's Tragedy, Designed by Christopher Morley, and Directed by Trevor Nunn. The doublet has interesting fabric painting.

Scenic model for the 1968 (?) RSC production of The Persecution and Assassination of Jean Paul Marat as performed by the Inmates of the Asylum at Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade (better known as Marat/Sade) also seen in the wonderful 1969 film of the same.

Scenic model of the stage setting for the National Theatre's 1989 production of Priestly's An Inspector Calls

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