{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1293958"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1293958/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1293958","accessionNumber":"S.1233:3-2014","objectType":"Theatre costume","titles":[{"title":"Costume for Peter Pan","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"These shorts, with shirt, tights and boots, were part of a costume worn by the British actress Zena Dare (1885-1975) as Peter Pan. Zena Dare's first stage appearance was in pantomime aged 12. She went on to make her name in musical comedy, having been engaged by George Edwardes to play three leading  roles at the Prince of Wales Theatre - first in <i>Lady Madcap</i> in 1904 and then in <i>The Little Cherub </i>and <i>A Girl on the Stage </i>in 1906. She wore this costume when she was nineteen, starring in Charles Frohman’s first regional production of J.M. Barrie's <i>Peter Pan</i> which opened at the Prince’s Theatre Manchester on 27 December 1906, and in which she subsequently toured in the UK, until May 1907. This production ran concurrently with Frohman's second London revival of the play at the Duke of York’s Theatre, starring Pauline Chase as Peter.\r\n\r\nCharles Frohman (1856-1915) was the producer of the first production of <i>Peter Pan</i> which opened at the Duke of York’s Theatre on, 27 December 1904, with Nina Boucicault in the title role. Although the boots in this costume were made for Zena Dare, as the inscription on the lining indicates, it is possible that they, and other parts of the costume, were worn by other actresses since the costume would probably have belonged to the wardrobe of Frohman’s company. Photographs of various actresses playing Peter show a variety of costume, including almost identical boots worn by Unity More in the London production at the New Theatre in 1916, as well as several versions of the side-laced chamois leather shorts.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Olive green soft suede shorts worn by the actress Zena Dare (1887-1975) in the title role of <i>Peter Pan</i>. The shorts are lined with a dark brown cotton, with further panels of cotton used to reinforce the suede ground of the outer fabric at the leg openings. The base of these leg openings extends into jagged points which resemble leaves. The shorts lace at the side with grey cotton laces. These laces weave in and out of metal eyelets, with 20 (10 pairs) on the proper right hand side and 19 (9 pairs, one single eyelet) on the proper left hand side. The shorts fastening with a plastic [?] button at the proper right and proper left side of the waistband.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"costume designers","id":"AAT163428"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"suede","id":"AAT193368"},{"text":"cotton (textile)","id":"AAT14067"},{"text":"metal","id":"AAT10900"}],"techniques":[{"text":"hand stitching","id":"x30413"},{"text":"machine stitching","id":"x29587"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Suede, metal and cotton","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"011","id":"THES308899"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"theatre costume","id":"x47007"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"This may have been made in London where the play's producer Charles Frohman was based when in the UK"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1906","earliest":"1906-01-01","latest":"1906-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"Dare first performed the role at Christmas 1906 so the costume would probably have been made for her that year."}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.1233:1-2014","id":"O1293955"},"association":"Ensemble"},{"object":{"text":"S.1233:2-2014","id":"O1293957"},"association":"Ensemble"},{"object":{"text":"S.1233:4-2014","id":"O1293961"},"association":"Ensemble"},{"object":{"text":"S.1233:5-2014","id":"O1293962"},"association":"Ensemble"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"40.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"centre waistband to crotch","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"37.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"across the waist","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Suede shorts worn by the actress Zena Dare (1887-1975) in the title role of <i>Peter Pan</i> by J.M. Barrie (1860-1937), Prince's Theatre Manchester, Christmas 1906/1907","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Dare, Zena","id":"N3062"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Peter Pan"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1233:3-2014"],"accessionNumberNum":"1233","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2014,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2014-05-19","availableToBook":true}}