Over 1714 reels of thread, one 1920’s manual treadle machine, 3500 pairs of shoes, 36 mannequins and one 80-year-old anvil are just some of the items that will be temporarily relocated in preparation for the Costume Workshop restoration and redevelopment.

The Royal Shakespeare Company has begun the temporary move of its Costume Workshop ahead of its restoration and redevelopment, which is due to begin this summer.

The move coincides with a £950,000 National Lottery grant towards the conservation of the RSC’s Costume Workshop’s Grade II listed buildings. Awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the grant will also give the public access to the building’s heritage for the first time, with a focus on the craftspeople, designers and actors who have worked there.

Vanessa Harbar, Head of HLF West Midlands, said: “I’m delighted that we can support the RSC to restore the Costume Workshop and open the building to the public. Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will celebrate the theatre’s unique history of costume-making and ensure its talented craftspeople continue to weave their magic for years to come.”

As part of the move, the 30-strong Costume Workshop team will pack and temporarily relocate:

  • Over 1714 reels of thread
  • 7885m of stock fabric
  • 3500 pairs of shoes
  • 862 square feet of stock leather
  • 1131 magnets
  • one pricing gun
  • 126 paintbrushes
  • 5 Sheila’s Maids
  • 115kg salt
  • 97 hat blocks
  • 2 hat stretchers
  • 27 fob watches
  • one Sonic Jewellery Cleaner
  • one swivel knife
  • one power file
  • one anvil pre-1950s
  • 36 Mannequins
  • 45 Sewing machines
  • one manual treadle machine from the 1920’s
  • 7 tailor’s hams
  • 8 velvet boards
Thousands of people from around the world have already donated to the RSC’s Stitch In Time campaign.  There is still £1.3 million left to raise towards the £8.7 million project, which will help the RSC continue to create the stunning costumes for audiences to enjoy.

The RSC, a registered charity, has the largest in-house costume-making department of any British theatre. Alongside its own armoury, the workshop includes many specialist skills and crafts including men’s and ladies’ costume-making, millinery, dyeing and printing. The team create hundreds of costumes each year, which are seen by audiences across the world.

The Costume Workshop is located opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre hidden behind the Grade II-listed 1887 former scene dock constructed for the original Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. Costume making on the site dates to this time, with the current workshop being here since the 1950s. The close proximity to the theatre is essential as the workshop also includes facilities for fitting and maintenance of costumes during the life of a show.

The team will continue to produce costumes during the project, relocating to a temporary space across town for the duration of the works, which are due to be completed by spring 2020.

The restoration and redevelopment will:

  • Create the best facilities for costume-making, in a working environment fit for the 21st century including more space, more natural light and improved heating and cooling
  • Care for the heritage Grade II listed buildings, including the 1887 Scene Dock
  • Enable visitors to experience our world-class Costume Workshop for themselves on tours and online
  • Create new training and apprenticeships opportunities to enable costume-making skills to be passed on to future generations and to secure the future of costume-making in Stratford-upon-Avon