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Oliver Messel (British, 1904-1978) Five costume designs for Twang!!, 1965 (the largest) unframed ((5)) image 1

Oliver Messel (British, 1904-1978) Five costume designs for Twang!!, 1965 (the largest) unframed ((5)) image 2

Oliver Messel (British, 1904-1978) Five costume designs for Twang!!, 1965 (the largest) unframed ((5)) image 3

Oliver Messel (British, 1904-1978) Five costume designs for Twang!!, 1965 (the largest) unframed ((5)) image 4

Oliver Messel (British, 1904-1978) Five costume designs for Twang!!, 1965 (the largest) unframed ((5)) image 5

Oliver Messel (British, 1904-1978) Five costume designs for Twang!!, 1965 (the largest) unframed ((5)) image 6

The Roy Astley Collection: Theatrical Designs by Cecil Beaton and Oliver Messel

Lot 75^AR

Oliver Messel
(British, 1904-1978)
Five costume designs for Twang!!, 1965
(the largest) unframed

20 May – 3 June 2025, 12:00 BST

Online, London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £1,536 inc. premium

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Oliver Messel (British, 1904-1978)

Five costume designs for Twang!!, 1965
To include:
Barbara Windsor as 'Delphina'; James Booth as 'Robin Hood'; make-up designs for Maxwell Shaw as 'Prince John', and Howard Goorney as 'Sir Guy of Gisborne';
and a design for the 'Funeral Procession Through the Forest' scene
each variously signed 'Oliver Messel', with various artist's annotations
variously watercolour, gouache, pen and ink and pencil, two with gold paint
37.5 x 25.5cm (14 3/4 x 10 1/16in). (the largest)
unframed
(5)

Footnotes

Twang!! is a comedy musical based on the character of Robin Hood, which opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in December 1965 and closed after a short run of just 43 performances in 1966. It is considered by some to be 'the most expensive flop' in West End history.

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