The entire contents of a costume hire business which served Britain’s vibrant amateur dramatics community for decades is set to take centre stage at Hansons.
Stock from the Berenice Stage Costume Hire firm, which supplied outfits to around 60 amateur drama societies for more than 20 years, will go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on August 16 and September 19.
It includes costumes for all 12 Gilbert and Sullivan operettas as well as a wealth of other productions including Annie, Anything Goes, Charlie’s Aunt, Calamity Jane, Oliver! and Scrooge.
The costume collection, described as exceptional by Hansons’ costume consultant Virginia Ewart, has been amassed thanks to the hard work and dedication of Alan and Berenice Reiblein. They built up the business from 1998, initially in Bedford and from 2003 in Copley Mill, Stalybridge, Greater Manchester.
Alan said: “After moving to Bedford from Greater Manchester in the 1980s, we joined Bedford Amateur Operatic Society and got involved in productions. Berenice is a singer who trained in drama for her teaching qualification. I am mainly a chorus member. We built a small collection of our own costumes which we used in charity events around the area.
“In the early 1990s Berenice had to retire from teaching, her great love, because of a back injury. However, she had become secretary of the society and wardrobe mistress.
“The society had a regular costume supplier for Gilbert and Sullivan productions, Elaine Stevenson of Shepshed, Leicestershire. Elaine had early onset Parkinson’s disease and sometimes mentioned that she wished she could get rid of the costumes all over the house. Berenice said, ‘When you want to get rid of them throw them at us’.
“In 1996 Elaine asked if we were serious about taking over the business. Taken aback, we discussed the situation. The outcome was that we said yes. We took over the business in 1998 and bought a five-bedroomed Victorian house with plenty of loft space to house the costumes.
“We followed Elaine’s philosophy about costume preparation and delivery. When returned, all costumes were cleaned and processed. Once prepared, costumes were delivered personally. We also took spares, sewing machine and toolkit. At the venue we fitted the costumes making alterations as necessary.
“Our first show was for our own operatic society’s production of Ruddigore. I was set design and stage manager as well as being in the chorus. Berenice was wardrobe mistress and ‘Mad Margaret’. The business was then called Berenice at Bedford but often just Berenice Costumes.
“We converted three lofts to house most of the costumes. But Ascot greys were in a small bedroom and the medieval men’s costume and armour were in my study. A spare single bedroom was used for costume preparation and cleaning.
“In the early days Berenice handled all prep while I worked full time in my software development consultancy role. However, in 2001 my consulting retainer ended and I took on more of the prep work for male costumes.”
Family reasons took the couple back to the Manchester area around 2003 and, such was the vastness of the costume collection, they took over a unit in Copley Mill, Stalybridge.
Alan said: “We went that extra mile to help customers. One year Cambridge University contacted us about costuming Yeomen of the Guard at short notice. We initially turned them down as their delivery date was during our holiday. But we discovered they would be performing at the Minack Theatre, an outdoor theatre on the cliffs in Cornwall. Luckily our holiday was in Cornwall, so we were able to costume their production.
“We reached a customer base of some 60 drama societies with customers in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Jersey. We averaged 16 shows a year. When I reached 65 we tried to keep it to no more than 12 shows a year, but failed.
“We enjoyed travelling the country meeting like-minded people. They all seemed to be delighted with our service. Many of the societies became friends, not just customers.
“Our final shows were Princess Ida for the Jersey Gilbert and Sullivan Society and The Sorcerer for Swaffham Bulbeck Summer Theatre, societies which used us every year from the start.
“Though Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas were our bread and butter, we provided costumes for Annie, Anything Goes, Charlie’s Aunt, Calamity Jane, Carousel, Great Expectations, Haddon Hall, La Vie Parisienne, Mack and Mabel, Oklahoma!, Oliver!, Scrooge, Scrooge the Musical, Terry Pratchett’s “Pyramids”, The Merry Widow, The Seagull, Uncle Vanja and others.
“We have now come to the end of an era as Berenice has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. So, like our predecessor Elaine, the business must close because of an insidious disease.
“Berenice Stage Costume Hire was a project of, and for, Berenice. It was conceived with love and run with love. I am sure our clients recognised this. We will miss them and their performances. It was a good life, full of fun and happiness.”
A small selection of costumes will be offered in Hansons’ August 16 Bargain Hunt Sale, however most will be in the September 19 Specialist Doll and Textile Sale at Bishton Hall.
To find out more, email [email protected]
All catalogues/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk
