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London museum celebrates 40 years of theater in London, New York

Xinhua, February 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

The big hits of London's West End theaters and of New York's Broadway are celebrated in a new show at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

The show "Curtain Up: Celebrating 40 Years of Theatre in London and New York" includes dozens of costumes, memorabilia, interviews, film clips, and other items to explore the big state hits and the creative talents -- both in front of the curtain and behind the scenes -- that have created them.

Exhibition curator Anna Landreth-Strong told Xinhua: "We have looked at things that have done well on both sides of the Atlantic. For instance, we have items from 'The Phantom of the Opera', which is the longest running show on Broadway."

The show also marks the anniversary of the founding of the premier London theater awards, The Oliviers, which began in 1976 and of the New York counterpart The Tony Awards.

"This is a New York-London thing; the Olivier Awards celebrate excellence in West End theaters, it also looks across to the Tony Awards which is very specifically for Broadway," said Landreth-Strong.

A selection of golden top hats, worn by the cast for the shows final number, are on display from "A Chorus Line" symbolizing the glamorous success that is supported by the professional talent celebrated in the show.

Other items sure to delight theater fans include costumes from "The Lion King" and "Wolf Hall."

Visitors can also see the set models for "Matilda the Musical," an RSC musical which won seven Olivier awards and five Tony awards, as well as models from the UK National Theater's production of "War Horse," including one of the horses in the show.

The show is backed by London's V&A museum and by the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at the Lincoln Center.

The exhibition, which is free, runs until Aug. 31. After the end of the London show, the exhibition will cross the Atlantic for display in New York. Endit