{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1513962"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1513962/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1513962","accessionNumber":"S.521-2019","objectType":"Hat","titles":[{"title":"Top hat worn by Willy Wonka","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This is one of several top hats made by milliner Sean Barrett for actors playing and understudying Willy Wonka during the run of the musical <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i> at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Directed by Sam Mendes with costume and set designs by Mark Thompson, the musical was based on Roald Dahl's children's book published in 1964. Douglas Hodge played Wonka originally, with Alex Jennings replacing him on 19th May 2014. Richard Dempsey joined the cast at the same date playing Mr. Bucket and understudying Alex Jennings. Chris Grahamson joined the cast on 25th April 1916, replacing Dempsey as Mr. Bucket and understudying Wonka.\r\n\r\nMark Thompson's design for Wonka was based on Roald Dahl's description of him in Chapter 14 of his book: 'He had a black top hat on his  head. He wore a tail-coat made of beautiful plum-coloured velvet. His trousers were bottle green. His gloves were pearly grey. And in one hand he carried a fine gold-topped cane'. To this description Thompson added a red and white spotted shirt, an orange waistcoat, a blue striped tie, and grey  spats with individually coloured buttons. This colourful and quirky outfit emphasised Wonka's eccentric character and made his appearance the centre of attention. Mark Thompson won the Olivier Award for the Best Costume Designs for this production in 2014, and his designs were used for the Broadway production that opened at New York's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on 28th March 2017.\n\nThe hat was modelled in buckram on a milliner's block, extended and waisted to get the exaggerated shape needed for the design. Unlike traditional top hats that were covered in a silk plush hood to avoid a seam, this was covered in panné velvet, and seamed. It was trimmed with a purple petersham ribbon. Since Charlie Bucket has a miniature Wonka costume at the end of the musical, Sean Barrett also made several miniature versions of this top hat.","physicalDescription":"Black Edwardian-style panne velvet top hat with dark purple petersham ribbon hat band.\r\n\r\nThe maker Sean Barrett described the materials as panne velvet and petersham ribbon over a buckram foundation. The production co-ordinator at Playful Productions checked her records relating to the costume making and noted in an e-mail: 'it was made using silk-viscose velvet longpile bought from Pongees (product code 737L/0002) with a petersham inner band supplied by the maker'","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Barrett, Sean","id":"AUTH354172"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Thompson, Mark","id":"A22246"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Playful Productions","id":"AUTH349628"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Warner Brothers","id":"AUTH357083"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":"Warner Brothers were the producers of the stage production at Drury Lane and producers of both Willy Wonka films, but Playful Productions staged the musical for them in London"}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"buckram","id":"AAT253474"},{"text":"panne velvet","id":"THES288418"},{"text":"petersham ribbon","id":"x30434"}],"techniques":[{"text":"moulding","id":"x46876"},{"text":"sewing","id":"AAT53658"},{"text":"wiring","id":"x30420"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silk-viscose velvet with a petersham inner band over a buckram foundation","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Theatre costume","id":"THES268477"},{"text":"Hats & headwear","id":"THES48943"},{"text":"Musical Theatre","id":"THES278879"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"105","id":"THES49926"},"free":"","case":"CA010","shelf":"FIG","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"hats","id":"AAT46106"}],[{"text":"top hats","id":"AAT46113"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Twickenham","id":"x29226"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.2013","earliest":"2008-01-01","latest":"2017-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":"This hat was one of several made during the run of the production to fit the heads of the actors and understudies playing Willy Wonka"}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.227-2019","id":"O1476601"},"association":"Ensemble"},{"object":{"text":"NCOL.808:1-2019","id":"O1510705"},"association":"Ensemble"},{"object":{"text":"NCOL.808:2-2019","id":"O1510705"},"association":"Ensemble"}],"creditLine":"Given by Nicky Leach","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Top hat worn by an actor playing Willy Wonka in the London production of <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i>, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 25th June 2013 to 7th January 2017.  Designed by Mark Thompson, made by Sean Barrett","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Gallery rotation, 2022\n\nCOSTUME FOR WILLY WONKA IN <i>CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY</i>\r\n2013\n\r\nRoald Dahl created the extraordinary Willy Wonka in his 1964 children’s novel <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i>. Mark Thompson based his costume design on Dahl’s description of Wonka’s black top hat, plum-coloured velvet tail-coat, bottle-green trousers and pearly grey gloves, adding the orange waistcoat, spotted shirt, striped tie and spats to accentuate Wonka’s eccentricity.\n\r\nDesigned by Mark Thompson\r\nVelvet, satin, calico, rayon, cotton, silk and velour (costume), panne velvet and buckram (hat), painted cane, metal and rhinestones (cane)\r\nGiven by Warner Bros, Neal Street Productions, Playful Productions,Nicky Leach, Marcus Hall Props and Thomas Pink Ltd\nMuseum nos. S.227:1 to 7-2019, S.521, 522-2019, NCOL.808:1 to 2-2019, NCOL.182-2020, NCOL.193:1 to 2-2020, NCOL.74:1-2022","date":{"text":"07/03/2022","earliest":"2022-03-07","latest":"2022-03-07"}}],"partNumbers":["S.521-2019"],"accessionNumberNum":"521","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2019,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-13","recordCreationDate":"2019-10-10","availableToBook":false}}