Explore biographies of some of the early 20th century's biggest acting stars, and learn about the backstage world of today's theatre performers. The V&A's Theatre and Performance collection documents both current practice and the history of the performing arts in the UK.
Sir Laurence Olivier
The life of Sir Laurence Olivier (1907 - 1989), one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century who played a variety of roles on stage and screen from Greek t…
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Noël Coward
Noël Coward (1899 - 1973) dominated British theatre for a generation as a playwright, composer, lyricist, actor and manager.
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Ivor Novello
Ivor Novello (1893 – 1951) shot to fame overnight with his 1914 song ‘Keep the Home Fires Burning’. Like his contemporary Noël Coward, Novello was a multi-talented matinee …
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Fred and Adele Astaire
Fred Astaire (1899–1987) was one of the greatest dancers of the 20th century. He and his sister Adele (1896–1981) were child stars in American Vaudeville before moving into…
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Gertrude Lawrence
Gertrude Lawrence (1898–1952) hit the big time in Charlot’s revue, in the 1920s before going on to perform in works written for her by Noël Coward. Rodgers and Hammerstein …
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Jack Buchanan
Walter John 'Jack' Buchanan (1891–1957) was the major British musical stage and screen star of his day. He appeared in a series of musical comedies many of which were later…
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Jessie Matthews
Jessie Matthews (1907–1981) was Britain’s favourite 1930's musical film star. She made her name in theatre before starring in a number of successful musicals such as Rodger…
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Grace Kelly: Image of a Movie Star
Grace Kelly was one of the most photographed women of the 20th century. At first her image was cultivated by the movie industry; the young Grace Kelly seemed wholesome yet …
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The Actor and the Maker: Ellen Terry and Alice Comyns-Carr
The greatest English actress of the late 19th and early 20th century, Ellen Terry, excercised a great deal of control over what she wore on stage. She was leading lady to t…
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Beth Nestor
Elizabeth Nestor discusses what life is like for an actor. From applying to drama school to learning lines and preparing for rehearsals
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Interviews with Wicked cast members
Watch videos of cast members of the hit musical Wicked. Dianne Pilkington and Jeremy Legat talk about costume changes and Alexia Khadime explains the make-up process she un…
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A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
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Film Craft: Costume Design (Paperback)
Actors often say they only really assume the identity of their character when they have donned the costumes painstakingly created for them by the cost…
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