Dress Circle’s remarkable cornucopia of theatrical costumes on Haxby farm are up for sale at Ryedale Auctioneers till May 11

Jill and Stephen Outhwaite at their Dress Circle of York costume-hire emporium

THE sale of contents from Stephen and Jill Outhwaite’s costume-hire emporium Dress Circle of York is running online until May 11.

When the final curtain fell on their 18-year business in converted buildings at the Outhwaite family farm at Low Grange Farm, Haxby, on December 19 2020, they said: “Ideally we’d like to sell Dress Circle as a going concern, and we’d love it to go locally preferably.”

No such scenario has played out, although Sian Thomas’s Silver Linings Theatrical Costumiers and Liam and Owen Nardone from Nardone’s Academy of Performing Arts, in Lochgelly, Fife, Scotland, have made significant purchases.

“We did try to sell Dress Circle as a business, but it was just too big and made more difficult by Covid,” says Jill. “It’s a shame as it would have been nice for it to have gone to one site but it wasn’t possible.”

The remaining items – 1,288 lots in total – are being auctioned by Ryedale Auctioneers, Angus Ashworth’s Kirkbymoorside firm that features in the television series The Yorkshire Auction House.

“A team of four from the auctioneers has been cataloguing the auction over three weeks for the largest single stock sale of its kind they have ever done,” says Stephen.

Viewing days will be held at Low Grange Farm, off Moor Lane, Haxby, on May 7, 9 and 10 from 10am to 4pm, with the auctioneers in attendance on the Tuesday and Wednesday. Alternatively, viewing by appointment can be arranged by contacting Jill by email at jill_outhwaite@btconnect.com.

Full details of this timed auction, concluding at 7pm on May 11, can be found at ryedaleauctioneers.com/upcoming-auctions, where you can view the catalogue and register to bid.

The auction includes vintage wedding dresses; full and part sets, from a family of squirrel costumes to dresses for My Fair Lady, costumes for White Christmas and full sets for Monty Python’s Spamalot and ’Allo ’Allo!; more than 1,000 hats; two massive boxes of former Opera North costumes for Nabucco; stage make-up; theatre props and much more. View the lots at https://bit.ly/43BQOXF

“Before our retirement, we were the biggest business of our type in the North East,” says Jill. “We covered as far as Blyth, in Northumberland, down to north Lincolnshire.

Dames’ dresses by the dozen at Dress Circle of York

“I’ve counted up the number of companies, schools, film companies, event companies and more that we dealt with, and I’m sure I’ve missed out some, but it must have been around 160, and then there were all the individuals over the years too,” says Jill.

York Stage, York Light Opera, Rowntree Players, Bev Jones Music Company, Helmsley Arts Centre’s 1820 Theatre Company and Stephen Tearle’s NE Musicals York were among the companies grateful to theatre costumiers Stephen and Jill and their team of Sophie, Sue, Elaine, Caroline, Emily, Susan and Guy.

So too were Hessle Theatre Company, Be Amazing and Pauline Quirke Academy (James Aconley), Pauline Quirke Academy in Harrogate, Stockport and Halifax, the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield and Panto Ever After in Halifax and Marsden.

Many a farm has diversified, whether into ice cream, maze attractions, fields for solar-heating generation or wedding party teepees, wind farms, holiday cottages, film studios, business parks, beer breweries, the list goes on…

But theatrical costume hire? Pantomimes, fancy dress, make-up and accessories too, that is another world, one of fantasy, fable and fabulous fun. “Dress Circle of York came into being in 2002 when Jill and I brought the theatrical costume-hire business into an empty barn,” says Stephen, who has a history of acting, directing, set building, applying theatrical make-up and running a youth theatre [he founded and ran Flying Ducks Youth Theatre in York for many years].

“Combined with Jill’s experience of costuming shows and a history degree and encouraged by the Government and our accountant to diversify, when the farming wasn’t that good, we took the first step into developing Dress Circle, acquiring stock from Geraldine Jevons and Sue Morris.

“The business grew and developed in a way not dreamt of, as we built up a team of staff with a wealth and diversity of experience in costume and the theatrical world.”

In a normal year, from the end of October through to early December would be Dress Circle’s busiest time. “On average, we dressed 30 shows in those few weeks,” says Jill.

Not only theatre companies called on their Aladdin’s barn of costume opportunities. So too did those seeking clothes for weddings and even funerals; war-themed weekends; big parties with a dress code; bikers gathering in Helmsley for a charity Christmas ride and vintage car enthusiasts headed for the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex.

Everything could be found, from Lady Gaga and Tina Turner styles to Madonna cones; from Victorian and Edwardian clothes, through Seventies’ Glam to the modern day; from the full kit bag for Cinderella, Beauty And The Beast and Monty Python’s Spamalot to a Gruffalo; from Father Christmas outfits to The Pink Panther.

Re-living 1980s’ fashion at Dress Circle of York

No fewer than 16,000 costumes and much more besides: hats and more hats; prop after prop; military attire; blazers and tailcoats; socks and handkerchiefs; umbrellas and swords; waistcoats up to a 60-inch chest, ties, scarves, suits-you-sir suits, dress upon dress. Aprons. Everything a panto dame could dream of matching with bold lippy and a wig. Anything for a Steampunk sci-fi enthusiast.

So much glamour, such theatrical flourish, awaited visitors to these most untheatrical of premises. “It was built for cattle, and over the years we had pigs and grain in it too,” says Stephen.

“We insulated all the walls, but heating-wise you don’t want gas because it puts moisture into the atmosphere and electricity is expensive, so I enquired about a wood burner.”

No ordinary wood burner, but one as big as a fledgling dancer’s dreams. “We got it from Dowling Stoves in Scotland, though originally he was from Helmsley,” says Stephen. “It’s been the only heating we need in here; it keeps a nice dry barn, really good for drying costumes.”

Costumes have been leaving Dress Circle gradually since the 2020 closure. “One of the first people to contact us after we decided to sell Dress Circle costumes individually was Sian Thomas, from South Yorkshire, who as well as being a freelance costumier is also head of wardrobe for Hull Truck Theatre and had hired from us in the past,” says Jill.

“Sian, who has mainly late 19th and 20th century costumes, wanted to start up her own hire company on a smaller scale with the prospects of growing in the future and we were delighted to help.”

When Nardone’s Academy of Performing Arts heard of Dress Circle’s closure, enquiries were made over costume sales. “They wanted costumes for their own shows as they do about six a year and to start a theatrical costume hire company to supply other theatrical companies in their area,” says Jill. 

“They’ve been down twice to see us and are coming again to collect the rest of their costumes in the near future.”

What will happen after May 11? “It depends if everything sells; if we can then empty the building at last,” says Stephen. “Angus [Ashworth], from Ryedale Auctioneers, has said they could take whatever costumes are left to sell at the auction house.”

Not all theatrical enterprises will be ending at Low Grange Farm. Flying Ducks continue to rehearse in one of the buildings and Stephen is still making set designs, keeping that wood burner alight.

Flying Ducks Youth Theatre to present northern premiere of Maureen Chadwick’s Crush: The Musical at JoRo Theatre

Out come the hockey sticks in rehearsal for Flying Ducks Youth Theatre’s Crush: The Musical

FLYING Ducks Youth Theatre stages the northern premiere of Maureen Chadwick and Kath Gotts’s 2015 comedy drama Crush: The Musical at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, from Thursday to Saturday.

This week’s production will be the York company’s first book musical since Jenna Dee Howlett joined as director and chair in 2018. “We’re so excited to finally be putting on the show,” she says.

From the team behind Bad Girls: The Musical comes an outrageously fun, subversive musical set in 1963 in the Dame Dorothea Dosserdale School for Girls, an establishment with a proud tradition of fostering free spirits from all walks of life.

What a crushing blow when the new headmistress turns out to be a tyrant with strict Victorian values. Top of her hit list are two sixth-formers accused of “unnatural behaviour” – the “crush” of the title – in the Art Room.

Hope is revived, however, by a glamorous games mistress known as Miss Givings. Cue hockey sticks to the fore in an all-out battle to save the school and the course of true love. 

“Although set in the 1960s, Crush delivers a storyline that tackles important subjects of our modern-day society, delivering humour and satire too,” says Jenna Dee of Chadwick’s pastiche of girls’ school stories such as Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers and Ronald Searle’s St Trinian’s books.

Pupil power rules: The Dame Dorothea Dosserdale School for Girls schoolgirls stage their protest in a Flying Ducks’ rehearsal for Crush: The Musical

“It explores themes of female empowerment, love is love, and fighting for what you believe in, while celebrating and subverting the traditional schoolgirl fiction genre.

“It’s a smashing musical comedy with lashings of charm, team spirit, a catchy score to have you toe-tapping in your seats and dazzling dance routines to keep you entertained from beginning to end. This is a terrific, all-round musical for the whole family, performed by a talented young cast, in this coming-of-age show.”

Picking stand-out musical numbers, Jenna Dee says: “Navy Knicks is a strong company number lead by Miss Givings,  encouraging the girls to stay positive, ‘put on their Navy Knicks, pick up their hockey stick’,  and fight for what they believe in!

“It’s Not Fair is a comedic, self-pitying outcry from the school ‘snitch’ Brenda Smears, who wants nothing more but to moan about why she doesn’t fit in, much to the other girls’ amusement. 

“Run Away/Stay, the closing number of Act One, is by far one of the most musically challenging numbers, but shows the talent and hard work the girls have put in over the past few months.

“With more than eight overlapping character and ensemble parts, and four transitions throughout the number, it’s sure to leave you going into the interval wanting to know what’s coming next.” 

Brolly good show: Flying Ducks Youth Theatre cast members in a colourful umbrella routine in Crush: The Musical

Taking over Flying Ducks from Stephen Outhwaite in 2018, Jenna Dee runs the Ducks group for ages 11 to 18 alongside her sister Sara Howlett, who trod the JoRo boards herself only last week in Rowntree Players’ production of another teenage classroom drama, John Godber’s Teechers Leavers ’22.

Jenna Dee has opened up new classes – Quacks and Ducklings – for ages four to ten that consist of fun drama-based games, scene and character work, singing, movement and dance.

Sessions strive to encourage individuality, self-expression and creativity while helping to build confidence and teach performance skills in a safe, friendly environment.

“The groups have gone from strength to strength with more than 120 members across all sessions,” says Jenna Dee. “After two successful musical variety performances at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, This Is Me in 2019 and No Day But Today in 2022, they’re so excited to be bringing a northern premiere to the stage this week with Crush: The Musical.

“This was supposed to be their debut book musical in 2020, but the pandemic got in the way, so with a brand-new talented cast of 30, an impressive set and a fantastic live band, they’re ready to show York what they have to offer.” 

Crush writer Maureen Chadwick, co-founder and creative director of Shed Productions, created and wrote the hard-hitting television dramas Waterloo Road, Footballers’ Wives and Bad Girls; composer and lyricist Kath Gotts has credits for Bad Girls: The Musical and The Realness. 

Flying Ducks Youth Theatre in Crush: The Musical, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, March 23 to 25, 7pm plus 2pm Saturday matinee. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Flying Ducks Youth Theatre’s poster for Crush: The Musical

Flying Duck Youth Theatre’s credits for Crush: The Musical

Director and choreographer: Jenna Dee Howlett and Sara Howlett

Assistant director: Stephen Outhwaite

Musical director: Jessica Viner

Set design: Stephen Outhwaite

Stage manager: Paul Mantle

Costume: Ange Nemeth and Claire Newbold

Set builders: Sam Seago, John Pidcock and Paul Mantle

Set artwork: Anna Jones

Props: Stephen Outhwaite and Angela Day

Band: Jessica Viner and Gill Boler, keyboards; Kate Maloney, woodwinds; Christian Topman, bass; Mike Hampton, drums.

A scene from the tech rehearsal for Flying Ducks Youth Theatre’s Crush: The Musical

Cast

Eva Howe: Susan Smart

Sophie Wade: Camilla Faraday/Camille

Ruby Harrison: Daimler Jones/Desiree

Isabella Patton: Brenda Smears

Evie Fawcet: Miss Bleacher

Neve Gallafant: Miss Austin (Cast 1)/Ensemble

Nancy Mae Mooney: Miss Austin (Cast 2)/Ensemble

Ayda Mooney: Miss Giving/Diana Dosserdale/Buzz

Violet Orange: Benny/Dorian Dosserdale/Marlene (Cast 1)/Ensemble

Jess Ferguson: Benny/Dorian Dosserdale/Marlene (Cast 2)/Ensemble

Poppy Moass: Judith (Cast 1)/Ensemble

Amaia Hall: Judith (Cast 2)/Ensemble

Connie Wood: Lavinia (Cast 1)/Ensemble

Becka Nemeth: Lavinia(Cast 2)/Ensemble/Understudy Susan

Isla Thompson: Annabel (Cast 1)/Ensemble

Bethany Ellerker: Mum/Ensemble/Understudy Miss Givings

James Morton (the only boy in the cast): Dad/Ensemble

Mia Burton: Dorothea/Ensemble/Understudy Daimler

Elsa Adamson: Ensemble/Understudy Camilla

Lily Fawcett, Molly Hare, Sofia Iemboli, Megan Jones, Sylvie Morgan and Eva Robinson: all Ensemble

Lucy Parr: Ensemble/Understudy Dame Dorothea

Daisy Sullivan: Ensemble/Understudy Brenda

Jessica Whitelock: Ensemble/Understudy Mum

Hats galore in Flying Ducks Youth Theatre’s Crush: The Musical

Jill and Stephen Outhwaite bow out of theatre costume hire as Dress Circle closes

The end of the clothing chapter: Jill and Stephen Outhwaite are closing their Dress Circle of York costume hire enterprise. Picture: Melissa Gresswell, Liss Photography

THE final curtain falls on costume-hire emporium Dress Circle of York after 18 years tomorrow when Stephen and Jill Outhwaite will bow out.

“I’ve counted up the number of companies, schools, film companies, event companies and more that we’ve dealt with, and I’m sure I’ve missed out some, but it must be around 160, and then there are all the individuals over the years,” says Jill.

York Stage Musicals, the Rowntree Players, Bev Jones Music Company, Helmsley Arts Centre’s 1820 Theatre  Company and Stephen Tearle’s NEMS York are but five of those companies grateful to theatre costumiers Stephen and Jill and their team of Sophie, Sue, Elaine, Caroline, Emily, Susan and Guy.

“We would like to thank all of valued customers for their support, laughs, friendliness, understanding, cakes and chocolate over the past 18 years,” says the official notice on the Dress Circle website.

“We will miss you and wish you all the very best of luck in the future. Stay safe and well as we take our final bows.”

Dress Circle of York is run in converted buildings of the Outhwaite family farm at Low Grange Farm, off Moor Lane – more and more lane, it is a long lane – in Haxby, near York. “After 0.75 miles, there is a sharp right bend in the road, continue straight down the ‘no-through road’ for 1 mile,” the website advises. “Turn left into the farm yard at white sign ‘Low Grange Farm’.”

Many a farm has diversified, whether into ice cream, maze attractions, fields for solar-heating generation or wedding party teepees, wind farms, holiday cottages, film studios, business parks, beer breweries, the list goes on…

Items for hire, in a flashback to the 1980s, at Dress Circle of York. Picture: Liss Photography

…But theatrical costume hire? Pantomimes, fancy dress, make-up and accessories too, that is another world, one of fantasy, fable and fabulous fun, where a farewell visit just had to be made to thank Stephen and Jill.

All that was missing, and the eyes could not possibly take in everything, was a Daisy the Cow, front and back end, down on this 150-acre farm.

“Dress Circle of York came into being in 2002 when Jill and I brought the theatrical costume-hire business into an empty barn,” says Stephen, who has a history of acting, directing, theatrical make-up and running a youth theatre [he founded and ran Flying Ducks Youth Theatre in York for many years].

“Combined with Jill’s experience of costuming shows and a history degree and encouraged by the Government and our accountant to diversify, when the farming wasn’t that good, we took the first step into developing Dress Circle, acquiring stock from Geraldine Jevons and Sue Morris.

“The business has grown and developed in a way not dreamt of, as we built up a team of staff with a wealth and diversity of experience in costume and the theatrical world.”

In a normal year, from the end of October through to early December would be Dress Circle’s busiest time, but this was the abnormal year where the Covid Grinch cancelled Christmas and much more besides. “Over the past few years, we have, on average, dressed 30 shows in those few weeks, but not this year of course,” says Jill.

In 2019 Dress Circle costumed 170 shows all told; in 2020, only 39, as theatres went dark and largely stayed dark. “Shows that would have been going out, until lockdown kicked in, now aren’t. Even those provisionally booked for next year, the orders couldn’t be confirmed,” says Jill.

Everything a panto dame could dream of matching with over-bold lippy and a wig” at Dress Circle of York

Not only theatre companies called on their Aladdin’s barn of costume opportunities. So too did those seeking clothes for weddings and even funerals; war-themed weekends; big parties with a dress code; bikers gathering in Helmsley for a charity Christmas ride; vintage car enthusiasts headed for the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex.

Everything could be found, from Lady Gaga and Tina Turner styles to Madonna cones; from Victorian and Edwardian clothes, through Seventies’ Glam to the modern day; from the full kit bag for Cinderella, Beauty And The Beast and Monty Python’s Spamalot to a Gruffalo; from Father Christmas outfits to The Pink Panther.

No fewer than 16,000 costumes and much more besides: hats and more hats; prop after prop; military attire; blazers and tailcoats; socks and handkerchiefs; umbrellas and swords; waistcoats up to a 60-inch chest, ties, scarves, suits-you-sir suits, dress upon dress. Aprons. Everything a panto dame could dream of matching with over-bold lippy and a wig. Anything for a Steampunk sci-fi enthusiast.

“We’re the biggest business of our type in the north east,” says Jill. “We cover as far as Blyth, in Northumberland, down to north Lincolnshire.”

So much glamour, such theatrical flourish, is promised in these most untheatrical of premises. “It was built for cattle, and over the years we had pigs and grain in it too,” says Stephen.

“We insulated all the walls, but heating-wise you don’t want gas because it puts moisture into the atmosphere, electricity is expensive, so I enquired about a wood burner.”

No ordinary wood burner, it turns out. It is as big as a fledgling dancer’s dreams. “We got it from Dowling Stoves in Scotland, though originally he was from Helmsley,” says Stephen. “It’s the only heating we need in here; it keeps a nice dry barn, really good for drying costumes.” Two washing machines can be heard too, yet tomorrow they will fall silent.

“No fewer than 16,000 costumes and much more besides: hats and more hats; prop after prop” at Dress Circle of York. Picture: Liss Photography

“When I was at school, I wanted to be either a farmer or an actor, so I started with farming – better the devil you know – but then I flipped to acting, and I did everything but opera,” says Stephen.

Not that the farming has ever had its final harvest. BSE (“Mad Cow Disease”) put paid to the beef farming, he gave up on sheep too, but pigs – “bed and breakfast weeners” – have played their part and so too have contract grass-seed drilling and diversification into growing 40 acres of miscanthus, a biofuel for greener times.

Somehow, Stephen has found time to spread his wings still further, whether into piloting Flying Ducks Youth Theatre, or providing theatrical make-up services, or building sets for theatre shows.

“The make-up work was by chance initially but then it blossomed into film work too and the Vikings Roadshow, designing the make-up,” he says. “It toured Europe, then came to the Museum Gardens in York.”

Stephen will turn 70 next year, Jill, 67, and 2020’s stultifying pandemic has pressed them into making the decision to call time on Dress Circle. “We have such good staff; we had seven, but three have left already, and that was the toughest thing,” says Jill. “We feel awful; they’re all good friends and we get on so well. We’re a costume-hire team with the personal touch.

“We tried to keep going, and the furlough scheme was a godsend, but there’s just nothing happening in the theatre world. Theatres have to get going again first, and then we could have got going again, but we’d already decided to retire anyway.”

As a reminder of a year brought to a shuddering halt, the costumes for Bev Jones Music Company’s Calamity Jane, stopped a day before opening by the pandemic lockdown, are still hanging unused on a rail.

Cleopatra Rey as Deloris and Joanne Theaker as Sister Mary Roberts in Sister Act, one of York Stage Musicals’ productions that used costumes from Dress Circle of York

“We’re trading to December 19 and then looking at the possibilities of what we can do,” says Jill. “The closure announcement is on Facebook, and ideally we’d like to sell Dress Circle as a going concern, and we’d love it to go locally preferably.”

Stephen reflects on the path ahead. “Time goes on and there comes a time when you have to say, ‘it’s time to move on’…

…“But there is room for this business still to grow if someone takes it on,” urges Jill, who can be contacted at jill­­_outhwaite@btconnect.com.

Not all theatrical enterprises will be ending at Low Grange Farm. Flying Ducks will continue to rehearse in one of the buildings and Steve will still be making set designs, keeping that wood burner alight.

Thank you to Dress Circle of York, so many shows, so many memories of nights in the theatre and contented customers beyond.   As Nik Briggs, artistic of York Stage Musicals, puts it: “Dress Circle have been a great asset to the York theatre scene. Jill and her team will be a huge miss.

“From creating Broadway-worthy sparkly nuns and a bunch of Seventies’ New York gangsters for our production of Sister Act, to creating a wardrobe for our Von Trapp children and the people of Austria on the brink of Anschluss in The Sound Of Music, their work has always been brilliant!”