// Please listen with headphones for this film //

Our collection of Theatre & Performance objects includes props and costumes from many iconic moments in the history of circus, dance, drama, film, opera, pantomime, popular music – and much more. Often these objects played their part in a spectacular visual and auditory experience, but now – when they're displayed in our galleries behind glass – they are normally silent.

We invited sound designer and performance-maker Julie Rose Bower to document our preparation for a new gallery display, and in this film we see and hear conservator Susana Fajardo working on pieces in Textiles Conservation.

This film features:

Belinda Wright’s ‘Harlequinade’ tutu – 00:34
Vivien Leigh’s ‘Cleopatra’ cloak – 01:24
Sandie Shaw’s ‘Eurovision’ dress – 04:34
PJ Harvey’s ‘Lyrics’ dress – 12:00
Adzogbo raffia leg wraps – 14:30