Design by Motley

by Mullin, Michael

Beginning with designs for John Gielgud's production of Romeo and Juliet in 1932, Elizabeth Montgomery, Margaret Harris, and Sophia Harris designed more than three hundred productions under the name "Motley" (after Jaques' quip "Motley's the only wear"). Over the course of nearly four decades, they designed sets and costumes across the dramatic spectrum - straight plays, Shakespeare and other classics, ballet, opera, musicals, and films in both England and the United States. Design by Motley traces Motley's artistic accomplishments from the beginnings to the present. It draws upon original research in theatre archives and interviews with theatre artists. The volume is lavishly illustrated with original set and costume designs from the Motley Collection at the University of Illinois. Among Motley's accomplishments were designs for Gielgud's prodigious output during the 1930s in London, notably his Richard of Bordeaux, The Three Sisters, and The Importance of Being Earnest. On Broadway,