Eight years ago, in March 2010, Brick Lane Music Hall hosted an auction of costumes worn by the late great Danny La Rue. Among the more than 90 lots on sale were outfits worn in his historic appearance in the West End hit Hello, Dolly! sold with original design drawings, along with glamorous gowns, such as the sumptuous outfit pictured on the auction programme cover above, head-dresses and even his shoes.

The majority of the lots were snapped up by industry professionals and fans. A tutu worn by Danny when he appeared as Dame Margot Fonteyn raised £1,500, while his Baroness Thatcher outfit was bought for £75!

As well as his famous Music Hall and cabaret appearances as Dame, Danny took part in more than 50 pantomimes. Many of the lots reflected this, such as this brilliant Mother Goose outfit.

All the costumes were sold on behalf of Annie Galbraith, Danny’s long-term assistant, dressmaker and in later years his companion, pictured below, setting up one of the lots on stage for auction.

Prior to the auction Annie generously allowed the Victoria and Albert Museum unique access to collection and they selected several costumes to preserve for posterity, including the Mother Goose outfit above, another Mother Goose costume which was later converted for Widow Twankey to wear in Aladdin, pictured below, and the entire Hello Dolly costume, including bag, cape, head dress and shoes.

Above, the V & A’s textiles’ conservator working on one of the Danny La Rue costumes in the conservation studio. (Photograph with thanks to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.) And below, carefully recording and cataloguing the Widow Twankey costume prior to display. (Photograph with thanks to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.)

The catalogue description of the Widow Twankey dress reads:

This costume was originally designed by Terry Parsons for Danny La Rue (1929-2007) to wear as a glamorous woman after Mother Goose emerged from the pool of beauty in the pantomime Mother Goose, Plymouth Theatre Royal, 1984. Danny La Rue’s contract permitted him to keep costumes made for him, and the dress was redesigned and reworked in 1994 by Danny La Rue’s costume maker Annie Galbraith to be worn by him as the wealthy Widow Twankey in Aladdin, Theatre Royal Plymouth, 1994-1995.

Annie was invited to the Museum for the launch of a new display of pantomime costumes in the Theatre and Performance section, which includes Danny’s Widow Twankey dress and runs until the end of 2018. Incidentally, the  display also includes two iconic costumes worn by Nigel Ellacott and Peter Robbins as the Ugly Sisters in Cinderella which also form part of the exhibition.

Pictured above, Nigel Ellacott, who still appears regularly in our annual pantomimes at Brick Lane Music Hall, at the V & A and in the 1990’s at Brick Lane Music Hall with fellow Ugly Sister, the late Peter Robbins, Danny La Rue and Brit Eckland.

Always a great friend and supporter, Danny La Rue made regular appearances at Brick Lane Music Hall from 1992 until his last performance in 2007.

Founder of Brick Lane Music Hall, Vincent Hayes, attributes a great part of his success to Danny La Rue, after Danny agreed to appear at the venue in the very early days. “He was such a star. Danny at the Palace was the thing to go and see. His support and friendship gave me the courage and belief to carry on.”

Showbiz Personality of the Year in 1969, Theatre Personality of the Year in 1970, Entertainer of the Decade in 1979. “In a glittering and glamorous career spanning over 60 years, Danny La Rue established himself as one of the most popular and prolific performers Britain has ever known.” Jimmy Tarbuck

The man who Bob Hope hailed “the most glamorous woman in the world” brought drag out of clubs and onto the West End stage. The first bloke in a frock to appear in a Royal Variety performance, Danny La Rue blazed a trail for others to follow.

Even the shoes Danny wore as Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly! are lovingly preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum.