Take a look inside the Royal Shakespeare Company's costume workshop — home to the most iconic outfits in British theatre history

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November 7, 2017 11:56 AM

There are about 30,000 items inside – worn by Richard Burton, Vivien Leigh, Ben Kingsley, David Tennant, and other actors.

The Royal Shakespeare Company's costume workshop in Stratford-upon-Avon is home to some of the most famous outfits in British theatre history.

Some of the oldest and most valuable pieces are on display at The Play's The Thing exhibition. There is also Richard Burton's Henry V costume from 1951, the performance that launched the actor onto a Hollywood career.

In the workshop, about 2,000 costumes and props are made each year by a team of 30 people. This makes it the largest in-house costume-makers of any British theatre.

Due to the number of items, the RSC holds costume sales every 4-5 years to make space. The workshop buildings, which are from 1887, also need to be refurbished.

The Company hopes to raise £3 million with the Stitch in Time campaign to redevelop the costume workshop to modern standards.

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