{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O157550"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O157550/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O157550","accessionNumber":"S.698:1 to 3-1996","objectType":"Theatre costume","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Eve was a small Central London night club which opened in 1953 and was well-known for its imaginative floor-shows. Its founder, Helen O'Brien, devised witty entertainments which contained all the elements traditionally associated with glamorous night clubs - music, dance and parades of attractive showgirls - but presented them in a highly original way. Her designer, Ronald Cobb, created the costumes for sequences with such unexpected themes as Shakespeare's plays, Aldous Huxley's <i>Brave New World</i>, and <i>The Mind of Goya</i>. The club appealed to a sophisticated audience that enjoyed spotting the references. \r\n\r\nIn the 1970s the majority of the Eve showgirls were topless. Their costumes were minimal but elaborate, no more than a headdress, sleeves and a G-string, but all incorporated amusing references and symbols appropriate to the theme. This headdress was worn in a sequence with the title 'Bibliotheque' in which the girls personified different literary genres, including Science Fiction, the Crime Novel and Drama, with Shakespeare representing the theatre. Ronald Cobb designed costumes to illustrate <i>Macbeth</i>, <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>, <i>Antony and Cleopatra</i>, <i>The Merchant of Venice</i>, <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i>, and <i>Hamlet</i>. Only the <i>Hamlet</i> headdress survives. Cobb's design shows that the sleeves were in two different medieval styles and the comically tasteless decoration on the G-string was the white face of the drowned Ophelia. The headdress is heavy and requires the wearer to have perfect deportment.","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Cobb, Ronald","id":"A20195"},"association":{"text":"costume designer","id":"AAT163428"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"plastic","id":"AAT14570"},{"text":"velvet","id":"AAT133711"},{"text":"sequins","id":"x30374"},{"text":"cotton (textile)","id":"AAT14067"},{"text":"artificial jewels","id":"x30522"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"plaster","id":"AAT14922"},{"text":"braid","id":"AAT232186"},{"text":"gold braid","id":"AAT248064"}],"techniques":[{"text":"sewing","id":"AAT53658"},{"text":"glueing","id":"AAT53012"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Plastic, velvet, sequins, cotton, artificial jewels, wood, plaster, braid and gold braid","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Hats & headwear","id":"THES48943"},{"text":"Theatre costume","id":"THES268477"},{"text":"Cabaret","id":"THES274470"},{"text":"Shakespeare","id":"THES253244"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342412"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342412"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342412"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Theatre costume","id":""}],[{"text":"Cabaret costume","id":""}],[{"text":"Headdress","id":""}],[{"text":"Theatre costume","id":""}],[{"text":"Cabaret costume","id":""}],[{"text":"Headdress","id":""}],[{"text":"Theatre costume","id":""}],[{"text":"Cabaret costume","id":""}],[{"text":"Headdress","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1970s","earliest":"1970-01-01","latest":"1979-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.713-1996","id":"O158408"},"association":"Design"}],"creditLine":"Given by Jimmy and Helen O'Brien","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"76","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approximate","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"225","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"including length of drape","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"78","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"29","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This costume was created for one of the sequences in a revue at Eve, a London night club. Eve was founded by Helen and Jimmy O'Brien in 1953. They had been members of another London club, Murray's Cabaret Club, and their designer, Ronald Cobb, had also worked for Murray's. Cobb designed and supervised the making of the showgirls' costumes from its earliest days until its closure in 1992.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Headdress representing Shakespeare's play, <i>Hamlet</i>, worn by a showgirl at Eve night club, 1970s","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"13, 14\r\n<b>Costume design and headdress representing Shakespeare’s <i>Hamlet</i></b>\r\nAbout 1970\n\r\nEve was a famous London nightclub whose clientele\r\nincluded Frank Sinatra. This costume would have been\r\nworn by a semi-nude showgirl as part of a series\r\nthemed around Shakespeare’s plays. The Hamlet motifs\r\nhad to be instantly recognisable for the audience to\r\nget the joke, so the ghost of Hamlet’s father, a castle\r\nturret and Yorick’s skull are all playfully incorporated\r\ninto the costume.\n\r\n<b>Costume design</b>\r\nPaper, pencil and watercolour\r\nDesigned by Ronald Cobb\r\nGiven by Jimmy and Helen O’Brien\r\nMuseum no. S.713-1996\n\r\n<b>Headdress</b>\r\nPlastic, velvet, sequins, cotton, artificial jewels, wood, cloth\r\nand plaster\r\nDesigned by Ronald Cobb\r\nGiven by Jimmy and Helen O’Brien\r\nMuseum no. S.698:1–1996","date":{"text":"March 2009-September 2013","earliest":"2009-03-01","latest":"2013-09-30"}}],"partNumbers":["S.698:1-1996","S.698:2-1996","S.698:3-1996"],"accessionNumberNum":"698","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1996,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Theatre costume [1]","Theatre costume [2]","Theatre costume [3]"],"assets":["2019LT7046","2019LT8179","2019LW2112","2019LW1069","2019LV9240"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-20","recordCreationDate":"2008-06-26","availableToBook":true}}