Shoes

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Black and white leather shoes

These shoes were worn by Paul Brooke when he played Angelo in The Comedy of Errors, 1976. This production was directed by Trevor Nunn and the designers were John Napier and Dermot Hayes.

The costume designs for this production were varied. These 1930s style brogues would have been worn with a suit but other characters wore patchwork dungarees or kimono-type dresses.
Jewelled sandals

These sandals were worn by Janet Suzman when she played Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra, 1972. The production was directed by Trevor Nunn and Buzz Goodbody, the designer was William Lockwood.

The sandals are made of leather, they are decorated with gold braiding and plastic jewels.

The costume design for this production had some elements of what we know of ancient Egyptian and ancient Roman dress. In ancient Egypt those who could afford them would have worn sandals that were not that different from the flip flops we wear today.
Hand painted satin and leather shoes

These elaborate shoes were worn by David Mara when he played Le Beau in As You Like It, 2000. The production was directed by Gregory Doran and the designer was Kaffe Fassett.

The beginning of As You Like It is set in the court of Duke Frederick. In this production the costumes for the court scenes were all black and white like these shoes.

Not long into the play some of the characters run away, or are banished, into the Forest of Arden. The set and costumes for the forest scenes were extremely vibrant and colourful. Kaffe Fassett is well known for her highly decorative designs especially in knitwear and other decorative arts.
Burgundy suede shoes

These seventeenth-century style shoes were worn by Nina Sosanya when she played Rosaline in Love's Labour's Lost, 2008.

This production was directed by Gregory Doran and the costumes were designed by Katrina Lindsay. The main characters in this play are either royalty or nobility. The costumes worn in the 2008 production were based on expensive seventeenth century fashions and were rich in both colour and detail.
Tudor style shoes decorated with brown and gold glitter and gold sequins

These distinctive shoes were worn by Donald Sinden when he played Henry VIII in Henry VIII, 1969. The director was Trevor Nunn and the designer was John Bury.

After 1500 this style of blunt toed show was very common until around 1590 when a rounder toe came into fashion. The costume design for this production was meant to reflect real Tudor dress. Well known portraits of Henry VIII show him wearing similar shaped shoes.