Performance - Tales from Platform, Pitch and Podium
21 January – 30 December 2012 (normal admission applies)
Abbey House is celebrating the glory of sporting success and the bright lights of the stage in its new exhibition for 2012. Focussing on Leeds stars and performers, exhibits range from Olympic medals to ventriloquist dummies, rugby shirts to theatre costumes.
Sporting exhibits will include medals and trophies won by the Leeds-born championship swimmer Doris Storey in the 1930s. Doris competed at the Berlin Olympic Games and broke the women’s world record for 200m breaststroke in 1938. (The trophies are kindly on loan for the exhibition from her family). The displays also look at professional and amateur sports in Leeds, with displays including a signed rugby shirt from Leeds Rhinos and C.B. Fry’s cricket bat. A set of recently-acquired golf clubs made by Bronty Golf Co. Ltd. will also be on show.
The star exhibit in the section on Leeds theatres is an 1898 dress designed for the great Shakespearian actress Ellen Terry who performed may times at the Leeds Grand Theatre with her stage partner Henry Irving. There will also be theatrical costume used by the Kirkstall Players around 1910.
Those of a nervous disposition should be warned that the case relating to Music Halls and Variety will include two ventriloquist’s dummies and an advertisement for Padtoeski “The Marvellous Toe Piano Player”.
Four cases will look at the music scene in Leeds. One features the great choral tradition which started with the first Leeds Musical Festival in 1858. Another looks at classical symphonic and instrumental music, featuring the short-lived Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, the Leeds-born pianist Frederick Dawson and of course the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition. The exhibition will also look at popular music, in particular items collected at the Leeds Festival from 2009-2011.
The section looking at dance will include dance costumes borrowed from the Briggate Morris Dancers, Debbie Fleming owner of ATTITUDE FITNESS Worldwide and De-Napoli Clarke - Artistic Director of RJC Dance. The museum has also recently been donated an Irish dancing costume from the Joyce O'Donnell School of Irish Dancing.
Finally the exhibition ends with a display of a complete set of early 20th century Punch and Judy puppets.
Please note: The Adult Lecture due to take place on Weds, 17th October 'The play's the thing... Hamlet on Stage in the Victorian Age' is now cancelled.