Quentin Blake: Performance

“Illustrating is like directing a play, except that you also get to design the scenery and play all the parts.”

– Quentin Blake

From acrobatics to Shakespeare, this is a rare opportunity to explore Quentin Blake's theatrical influences. See over 100 original works by Quentin Blake in this UK-first survey of the influence of theatre on his work. Discover how Quentin has captured the spirit of performers - from street entertainers and circus artists, to comedic turns in pantomime and puppetry.

Included are Quentin’s rarely-seen illustrations from opening night performances, including his depiction of Laurence Olivier's iconic turn in The Entertainer (1957). Glimpse original drawings for Roald Dahl's The Enormous Crocodile (1978), inspired by the crocodile of Victorian Punch and Judy shows.

The exhibition features Quentin's illustrations of works by Ancient Greek, Elizabethan and modern playwrights including William Shakespeare and Samuel Beckett, with highlights including Waiting for Godot (2021) and Aristophanes' The Birds (1971).

His recent illustrations of Macbeth (2023) characters as birds will be publicly shown for the first time, with his distinctive scratchy line drawings offering a fresh take on the tragedy. Rarely seen preparatory material will give an insight into his working process, with illustrations for books including Angelo (1970) and Clown (1965), and cover designs for Punch magazine.