It is the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare this year and his life and works  will be celebrated over the country.

William Shakespeare  was born in 1564  and died in April 1616 He was an English poet, playwright and actor and was widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist.

He is often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon”. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. In 2016 celebrations will commence in the United Kingdom and across the world to honour Shakespeare and his work.

Newcastle City Library will be joining in these celebrations and I am pleased to announce we have been booked to present our 16th Century inspired Fashion Show at Newcastle City Library.

We will present our show on Saturday 14 May  – our event is to be included as part of the popular ‘Late Shows’ which take place during the evening in the main library which is located in Newcastle City Centre.

We have already presented a number of events at the venue including costume talks and shows – it is a superb venue with wonderful facilities.We will present our Tudor Fashion Show show on the evening of 14 May- times to be confirmed.

My exciting show includes a eight exquisite costumes I have designed and created worn by models. They are accompanied by beautiful period music, a brief history of each historical figure and a talk about the design and construction of each costume.

My fashion show team consists of of eight people which includes four/five models.The show is both informative and interesting as well as humorous.

Our show presents King Henry VIII in full regalia arriving to a fanfare of trumpets, Queen Elizabeth I in an elaborate gold silk gown with decorative jewelled ruff, Queen Anne Boleyn wearing an elegant  blue silk/gold gown worn with a pearl trimmed French hood.

A stunning silk Peacock Blue dress with partlet for the young Mary Queen of Scots, a very attractive rose silk gown embroidered with gold for Queen Catherine Howard.

Also included are a stunning silver silk gown worn by Queen Jane Seymour or an elegant court costume with doublet, hat and sword for King James VI of Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots taking off her velvet robes to reveal her elegant execution gown is the dramatic finale to the show.

Please join us on 14 May for this celebration of Shakespeare – I am sure you will enjoy the show.

For more information click –  http://thelateshows.org.uk/2016/newcastle-city-library

My lovely step- daughter Kerry bought me some wonderful Christmas Decorations for my tree this year.

They are hand-made, very beautiful costumed figures based on a Tudor Theme and I absolutely love them.

They are so exquisite I don’t want to place them on the tree and then put them in storage for the remainder of the year –  I will display them in my home all year round.

My figures include a very regal King Henry VIII, all his six wives and a beautifully decorated Red Tudor Rose.

These beautiful figures are designed in London and completely handmade in Thailand and India.

These decorations are made using the traditional method of zari embroidery. Zari – meaning gold – originated in the Surat district of Gujarat in the 16th century and is a weaving technique that traditionally used precious metal wires and jewels. Zari work is a rare and respected craft, the skills of which are handed down from generation to generation.

They have been created from velveteen fabric are padded and have been decorated with gold braid, lace, beads, pearls, sequins, brocade,bugle beads, sequins, rhinestones, brocade fabric and drop pearls.  They are also stitched with metallic cord, gold ribbon and fur fabric. The figures are also beautifully hand stitched around the edges.  All the wives are all about 6 inches high – Henry VIII is slightly taller.

Henry VIII wears a sumptuous red gown with a gold trim.  His white/silver brocade doublet decorated with gold/red ribbon.  Henry has a jerkin of blue edged with silver, a gold garter and red Tudor shoes. His costume is finished with a splendid bonnet edged with white fur and jewels. A very regal King Henry VIII!

 
Queen Katherine of Aragon is wearing a rich scarlet red velvet gown – it is edged with metallic cord and scattered with gold spangles.  She wears a beautiful gold brocade underskirt covered with gold netting. Katherine’s bodice is embellished with gold bead/pearl edging and a gold cross pendant. She also wears a gold cross necklace.  Her hood is scarlet velvet trimmed with a biliment (edging) which matches her headdress.  Her lovely sleeves edged with pearls and beads complete this attractive outfit

A lovely deep green velvet gown is worn by Queen Anne Boleyn.  Her dress is sewn with pearls and embellished with silver spangles sewn with silver bugle beads. Anne’s bodice is decorated with lattice stitching and silver thread embroidered round the neckline.   She has silver cord girdle, diamond ring and a very pretty crystal necklace hung with the famous letter  ‘B’ for Boleyn.  Anne’s outfit is  completed with a velvet french hood trimmed with pearls and silver spangles – truly an elegant outfit for someone as fashionable as Queen Anne Boleyn.

Queen Jane Seymour wears a lovely dark blue velvet bodice with criss-cross threads and purple velvet skirt edged with gold metallic lace.  She has white sleeves and an  underskirt (not shown in this picture) covered with gold/white lace. It is embroidered with very attractive tiny iridescent purple seed beads. Jane wears a gold pendant set with an amethyst stone on her bodice and a pretty gold and jeweled necklace around her throat. Her headdress has been made of dark blue velvet edged with gold braid, spangles and set with tiny seed pearls. A lovely outfit for a Queen!

The costume worn by Anne of Cleves is very different to those of Henry’s other Queen. She arrived in England dressed in the fashion of her native country. Anne wears a pale blue high waisted dress embellished with gold cord, spangles and tiny gold beads.  Her dress has a stomacher made of lace and is set with a sparkling jewel. She has a white lace collar and hanging sleeves edged with gold.  Her outfit is completed with headdress of gold/white lace decorated with tiny gold beads, gold tassel and cord –  a splendid outfit for a new Queen!

This very pretty gown is worn by Queen Katherine Howard. It has been made in cream velvet  – it is edged on the sleeves and underskirt (not shown) with silver braid. She wears a very attractive gold/pearl rope around her neck as well as a choker with a drop pearl.  Katherine’s bodice is embellished with cream stitching, diamond jewel buttons and a high white collar with pearl at the neck. Her headress is cream velvet edged with silver – her outfit is completed with gold lace edging on her sleeves.  A very pretty gown indeed!

Queen Katherine Parr was the last of Henry’s Queens however her dress is no less sumptuous. She wears a very regal purple velvet gown lavishly embellished with gold trimming and cord.  The underskirt is embellished with gold and tiny gold beads and bows.  Her high necked gown is edged with an elegant gold lace net collar. Katherine wears a lovely bead necklace hung with a sapphire coloured jewel.  Her bonnet is in matching purple and edged with pearls and blue jewels.  Katherine’s ornate and queenly gown is completed with a gold and sapphire girdle. A very regal costume!

This lovely ‘ Tudor Rose’ has been created in red velvet.  It has been hand sewn with gold threads and tiny pearl iridescent bugle beads. It is beautifully edged with gold cord and green metallic thread.  A gold cord is attached for hanging.

I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures of my wonderful gifts.

Thanks again Kerry!

If you have enjoyed reading this article please send me a comment  – it has taken me quite a while to write and it would be lovely to know that you enjoyed reading it – thank you! 

[See image gallery at www.tudortalkandcatwalk.com]  

Costumes include Henry VIII, Catherine Howard, Mary Queen of Scots and an Orange Silk Court Gown

Last Friday we presented two Period Fashion Shows at Muncaster Castle near Ravenglass in Cumbria.

What a beautiful setting for my costumes – The medieval Castle is bordered by beautiful gardens, with the backdrop of the spectacular views of the Lakeland Fells. Unusual plants, trees and flowers from all over the world grow in the landscaped areas and the wild woods. Planted over 200 years ago, the gardens have been described as the Gateway to Paradise.

The Great Hall with its dramatic rich red and wood panelled walls dating from the medieval age.  This room is the heart of the Castle and was the dramatic setting for the shows.  The family’s seven centuries of accumulations fill the castle and the walls of the Great Hall are lined with beautiful portraits.The Castle was a superb venue in every respect

I received excellent feedback – comments from visitors I spoke to after the show included

– “The dramatic finale with Mary Queen of Scots wearing her execution clothes brought a lump to my throat”

–  “I really enjoyed both the history of the Tudors as well as an insight into the design of the fabulous costumes”.

– ” What an excellent King Henry VIII – he really looked the part!”

Everyone said they thoroughly enjoyed the fashion shows.

Henry VIII, Jane Seymour, Mary Queen of Scots and Anne Boleyn

After the final performance the models took part in a photo shoot in the magnificent grounds of Muncaster Castle.  I have included a selection of pictures taken both in the Great Hall and the beautiful grounds – I really hope you enjoy viewing them.

I would also like to thank all the staff of Muncaster especially Andy, Peter and Bronwyn for their help in making the shows such a success. They provided great facilities for the shows as well as excellent hospitality for the whole team – thank you!

My thanks to my friend  Dave Foster for his photographs

Tom Skelton

I am really pleased to announce that we will be presenting two Tudor Fashions Shows at Muncaster Castle in Cumbria on Friday 23rd August . We will be presenting them as part of the ‘Summer of Fun’ at 1pm and 3pm.   http://www.muncaster.co.uk/special-events/summer-fun

We visited Muncaster Castle  for the first time earlier this week  – it is a beautiful castle in lovely grounds an excellent setting for my period fashions.

The historic haunted castle, still a lived in family home is the jewel in the crown of this majestic setting on the Western Lake District – this idyllic setting is simply awe inspiring.

We saw the Castle in all its glory and heard from the Pennington family who have resided in the Castle since 1208, about Muncaster’s colourful history and residents.

There is a fool (Tom Fooley) aka Tom Skelton, court jester at Muncaster in the 16th Century we heard about his links to Shakespeare and the ghost stories about him causing trouble today!

Muncaster Castle

I visited the most haunted room in the castle recently subject for a paranormal investigation screened on TV! for more information see   http://www.muncaster.co.uk/haunted-castle

Hear about the glass bowl, known as ‘The Luck of Muncaster’, has been preserved by the Pennington family since the 15th Century.

The story starts in 1464 and involves King Henry VI. He was the only son of Henry of Agincourt and Catherine of France and had been crowned King of England at the age of eight.

Muncaster Great Hall

By the time he had reached his early forties he had lost his throne to Edward IV. He’d also been taken prisoner during the Battle of Hexham. He managed to escape, and fled to the hills of the Lake District where he lived rough for about a year.

Sir John Pennington, whose home Muncaster Castle was, gave Henry food and shelter for as long as he requested it. In gratitude, Henry gave Sir John a glass drinking bowl and said it was given to the family with a prayer that they might prosper for as long as the glass remained unbroken. The glass remains unbroken to this day and the family has prospered.

Our fashion show is to be staged in the Magnificent Great Hall.

My exciting show includes a number of superb costumes I have designed worn by four models. They are accompanied by beautiful period music, a brief history of each historical figure and a talk about the design and construction of each costume. Our show includes magnificent costumes for King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard and Jane Seymour. The show concludes with Mary Queen of Scots taking off her velvet robes to reveal her elegant execution gown.

The Magnificent Great Hall will be a fantastic period setting for my costumes – I can’t wait!!

Yesterday we presented two Tudor Fashion Shows for the Woodhorn Museum in Ashington in Northumberland.

Both shows proved to be extremely popular with other four hundred visitors attending our events.

Visitors at the show ranged from people in their eighties to quite tiny toddlers aged from about four – everyone really enjoyed it.

A visitor asked to have her picture taken with King Henry, she asked ‘Could I be your seventh wife ‘!

Paramjit  – Events Manager at the Woodhorn said she had received ‘ brilliant feedback ‘ and that ‘everyone really enjoyed the day’.

I would also like to thank my team Angela – Costume Assistant, Kevin – Sound Technician/Road Manager and Tracy – Narrator.  Not forgetting Helen, Laura, my husband Mick and son James for modelling – you were all brilliant.

Read about our events as part of the Bank Holiday celebrations in today’s copies of local newspapers ‘ The Journal ‘ and ‘ The Evening Chronicle’. See my beautiful model Laura on the cover as Anne Boleyn.

Due to popular demand I am also presenting a talk about the construction and design of my costumes at the Woodhorn on 2nd June 2013.

http://www.experiencewoodhorn.com/mothers-day-costume-talk/

Today I set up a display of four of my 16th inspired costumes in the superb Barons Hall in Raby Castle in Durham.

Built for the mighty dynasty of the Nevills, this great fortress stands proud and defiant, its history rolling back almost a thousand years.

It is beautiful  castle – scenes from the recent film  ‘Elizabeth the Golden Age were filmed at Raby.

http://www.rabycastle.com/News_and_Events/3890/5017/

The Baron’s Hall is a magnificent setting for my costumes – they look amazing arranged front of portraits of previous occupants dressed in their finery.

This small but stunning display will culminate in a ‘Tudor Fashion Show’ presented in the hall itself on 27th May 2013. The costumes in the display will be worn by live models as well as an additional number of costumes. The show will be accompanied by beautiful period music.

http://www.rabycastle.com/News_and_Events/3890/5018/

I would like to thank Rachel and Claire for all their help today with setting up the display.

We are really looking forward to presenting the shows on 27th May 2013.