Fashion Show—an exhibition of Hebrew theatre costumes from 1922 to the present day.
Jerusalem Theatre, November 2008–February 2009
"Every evening the finest Israeli theatrical plays are presented on the stage of the Jerusalem Theatre. Every evening the production staff arrives backstage and after the preparations, make-up and dressing, the actors make their way to the stage and the magic begins. At the end of the play the actors remove their costumes and return to reality. The costumes will await them in the dressing rooms or will be returned to the warehouse, carrying secrets and stories from the world of theatrical works.
The exhibition places a spotlight, for the first time, on the art of theatre costume design, which at centre stage. For the first time the story of Hebrew theatre is presented from the unique perspective of the stage costume.
In the exhibition 120 theatre costumes will be featured, half of them specially restored. The costumes are the work of costume designers in Israel and important artists who also designed for the stage. Along with the costumes we have chosen to display the spectacular sketches and drawings by the designers, including rare examples never before shown to the public. In our search for theatre costumes, we embarked upon a fascinating journey behind the scenes of the Hebrew theatre, searching for and discovering hidden and forgotten treasures. The climax of that journey is in a restoration project of unprecedented scope. We hope that the exhibition contributes to encourage discussion of conservation, research and documentation of culture in Israel
This unique exhibition is an initiative of Jerusalem Theatre and the product of intensive work for over a year by a large staff and extensive partnership with theatre organizations, costume designers, research bodies and researchers, museums, archives and private collectors. We thank all of these.
“The audience is invited on a journey of fabric, colour and form, into the story of the Hebrew theatre. Some 60 plays staged over 9 decades of theatrical classics. Nothing like this has ever been seen!”
Yifat Tzahi Kiral, CEO, Jerusalem Theatre
“Costumes as art and a profession are innovations of the modern theatre. The costumes are not pulled from a theatre warehouse or history, rather designed anew for each play.
Costume designers are theatre artists whose idiom is that of the characters and clothing. They draw inspiration from the words and create real clothing for imaginary characters. When they succeed, the artifice looks real. The actor and the clothing become a single entity, an unforgettable character. The costume designers’ art is placed at centre stage in this exhibition.
The Hebrew theatre was the focus of Israeli cultural activity from the outset. The language of the characters and the stage were drawn from Jewish tradition, world theatre and the pioneering spirit of a society in the making. Together with renewal of the language as a spoken one and a living culture, on the Hebrew stage characters from the Jewish shtetl, from Classical Greek drama, Shakespeare and Molière, Brecht and Ionesco, live and breathe side by side. Biblical personages, the clowns and kings of Nissim Aloni, or the characters of Hanoch Levin.
Engraved in the memories of theatregoers are Lealeh of the Dybbuk in a white dress and black braids, the ragged garments of beggars, the robes of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, the shorts worn by Uri and Mika, the uniform of Good Soldier Schweik, and Fogara’s tennis outfit.
The plans for costumes drawn by the finest artists and designers are also on display, with thanks to the marvellous artists, past and present, in Israel who create its theatre.”
Exhibition staff:
Curators: Tali Yitzhaki and Noga Arad-Ayalon
Project management: Uri Goldstein
Exhibition design: Alexander Lisiansky
Lighting: Judy Kuperman
