Fashion and Passion at Cannon Hall Museum
I spent a very enjoyable weekend giving talks at Cannon Hall Museum, near Barnsley, South Yorkshire. They’ve got an exhibition of costumes from screen adaptations of Austen’s novels since 1995. Which means …
… all three Emma productions were represented - a Kate Beckinsale number, Gwynnie’s wedding dress and Romola Garai’s coral pink confection, seen in several episodes including the infamous Box Hill picnic.
… the 1995 Persuasion production was featured - Elizabeth Elliot’s acid yellow outfit (remember it in the umbrella scene at Molland’s?) and Anne’s only posh frock, a pale green floaty thing which I think she wore to the concert.
… both productions of Sense & Sensibility were there in force. From 1995 there was Lucy Steele’s magenta jacket, Marianne’s pale blue cloak and one of Elinor’s sensible beige dresses. Outfits worn by the three leading men - Edward Ferrars, John Willoughby and Colonel Brandon - were fetchingly displayed in the library. From 2008 we had Fanny Dashwood’s sumptuous purple velvet coat, which looked as though it cost more than the Dashwoods’ monthly income, and a typically fussy Mrs Jennings creation.
… Mansfield Park’s lone representative was Fanny Price, from the 2007 production, a suitably humble pale blue day dress.
… last but by no means least came Pride & Prejudice, with Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s purple evening gown as worn by Dame Judi Dench in 2005. From 1995, there was Caroline Bingley’s elegant gold evening dress, Elizabeth’s gorgeous cream ‘piano at Pemberley’ outfit and - sharp intake of breath - Mr Darcy’s formal attire from the same scene.
Mrs Bennet and Lydia would have been thrilled by the ‘regimentals’ on the top floor - the museum is home to memorabilia from the 13th/18th Hussars and features some rather dashing red coats!
