Undressing Mr Darcy
Returning from a stroll about town, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy prepares to undress... Is he a Rake, a Beau or a 'Pink of the Ton'? (Nearly) all will be revealed as our historical costume expert takes off the layers before your very eyes in this hugely popular presentation about the clothes of a Regency gentleman.
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Gillian: Menswear is often overlooked when studying history. However, during the Regency period the male image was extremely important - hence the cult of the dandy. A well-dressed Regency gentleman is a very impressive sight. The original accessories on display for this talk have a beauty and significance of their own too. We may not know how Jane Austen envisaged her Mr Darcy but we certainly have fun bringing our version to life. |
Lucy: What can I say?? Originally we developed this talk in companion with Dressing Victoria and so it was to be called Dressing Mr Darcy. A saucy slip of the tongue gave us the current irresistible title... and the talk fully lives up to its reputation. The blessed man had to have bodyguards when we sold out at the 2007 Cheltenham Literary Festival. I've seen this talk so many times and still love the moment when he takes off his coat. And when all the layers are off you see he's just a man after all. "What do you mean, just a man?" our Darcy then splutters. |
| "Oh my goodness! The ladies nearly rioted over Mr Darcy's drawers!" - Knutsford Literary Festival "I thought you had the approach exactly right - a light touch with some humour and an obviously comprehensive knowledge of the dress and customs of the Regency period." - Rod Yarnell, the Cambridge Society 'Undressing Mr Darcy' is a one-hour presentation with two performers
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