{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O775721"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O775721/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF4022/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF4022/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BF4022","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O775721/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O775721","accessionNumber":"E.933-1922","objectType":"Set design","titles":[{"title":"Design for 'The Truth about the Russian Dancers'","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The Truth about the Russian Dancers was a play by J. M. Barrie showing how Russian dancers 'love, how they marry, how they are made, with how they die and live happy ever afterwards’. It was produced by Gerald du Maurier with designs by Paul Nash and music by Arnold Bax. The play featured ballerina Tamara Karsavina as Karissima and she choreographed her role and the dances of the corps de ballet. \n\nThe Truth about the Russian Dancers was one of the short plays added to the programmes at the London Coliseum following the revision of licencing regulations in 1912 which permitted music halls to present narrative works. J. M. Barrie had originally planned a play for Lydia Lopokova (an actress as well as ballerina) but this work fitted Karsavina's plans to develop her own programme alongside appearing with the Ballets Russes and promote British talent on stage. Hence the invitations to Arnold Bax and Paul Nash to collaborate on the production.\r\n\r\nThe play opened within a variety programme at the London Coliseum on 15 March 1920 and ran for five weeks. It was revived at the Savoy Theatre, London, on 28 July 1926.\n","physicalDescription":"Set design for 'The Truth About the Russian Dancers'. Interior of a grand room with staircase and galleried landing, with a large window and open door giving a view of the garden outside. There is a tiled floor with stars and the wall on the landing is decorated with a hunting mural. To the right of the room is a large fireplace with triangle decoration and a crest above.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Nash, Paul","id":"A819"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"x32498"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"pencil and watercolour drawing on paper","categories":[{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006BF4022"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"DT","shelf":"37","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"design","id":"AAT102051"}],[{"text":"drawing","id":"AAT33973"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"c.1920","earliest":"1915-01-01","latest":"1924-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.494-2021","id":"O1625644"},"association":"Version"},{"object":{"text":"MA/2/A8/1","id":"ARC7156"},"association":"Archive record"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"59.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"39.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from Department of Prints and Drawings, <i>Theatre Costume Design in the Victoria and Albert Museum Colour Microfiche, </i>Emmett Microform, 1985.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Paul Nash","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"signed"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Paul Nash, design for J.M. Barrie's <u>The Truth about the Russian Dancers</u>, as produced at the Coliseum, London, 1920","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Department of Prints and Drawings, <i>Theatre Costume Design in the Victoria and Albert Museum Colour Microfiche, </i>Emmett Microform, 1985"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[{"text":"Coliseum","id":"x34667"}],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"J.M. Barrie","id":"A33803"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.933-1922"],"accessionNumberNum":"933","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1922,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-29","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}