(snip) picked up a fresh DVD copy of Keith Michell's Six Wives of Henry VIII from the 70s. What a joy to watch. That show was on a limited budget, and yet everything looks (from camera distance) perfect! I feel much better now. (snip)
My friend saw those costumes in person some years back. They were mostly made of muslin and painted to look like velvets, etc. She said they were amazing!
Much of the jewellery was made from bottle tops (usually from bottles of Coke) filled with resin, and chains from bathroom stores. Patterns on fabrics were made by spraying colour through lace on to cheap velvet and furnishing (drapery) fabrics. You can see original publicity photos of the BBC series on my website here. http://suziclarke4384.fotopic.net/c461806.html The "Wives" had most of their costumes made by Jean Hunnisett, who also made all of Glenda Jackson's costumes for "Elizabeth R".
Incidentally, many of the techniques used in "The 6 Wives" had been pioneered, in England anyway, in the two main theatre companies, the RSC and the National. The RSC in particular, had a series of plays costumed in dyed fabrics, and sprayed with a mixture of latex and gold paint powder. This style of costuming began in the 60's with the complete Histories series of plays. (They did Richard ll to Richard lll in one season, 1964.) Somewhere I still have samples of some of the fabrics from when I worked there in 1967-9.
Suzi (still nostalgic for the "old" RSC - it ain't the same these days!) _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
