Our Founder

Who is behind the madness?

About Thespis Theatrical Costumiers

and Founder Margaret Bicknell

Hidden within the labyrinthine aisles of costumes at Thespis Theatrical Costumiers, you might just catch a glimpse of our tireless mastermind, Margaret Bicknell. Known here as the “human sewing machine” (with far fewer breakdowns!), Margaret is the heart and driving force behind Thespis, bringing her passion for quality and history to each project we undertake.

Margaret's story is as unique as the costumes she creates. She graduated with a BA Hons in History of Art from the University of East Anglia in the vibrant 1980s, a time when the world was racing toward the new millennium. But while many were focused on the future, Margaret was captivated by the past. After graduation, she spent time in picture restoration, but financial realities eventually led her to become a Chartered Accountant. She enjoyed a 30-year career in accountancy, including a memorable five years supporting Peter Gabriel of Genesis fame.

Returning to Norfolk, Margaret felt the pull of her creative roots. Her children had become involved with the Norfolk Youth Music Theatre, where she initially volunteered as a chaperone and treasurer. Her passion soon drew her to costumes, where her background in historical costume study was invaluable. In 2008, Margaret took a bold step, leaving her accounting career to establish Thespis Theatrical Costumiers.

Margaret’s philosophy? To deliver the highest quality costumes with attention to detail that’s second to none. She believes in crafting each costume with care, refusing to cut corners, which is why Thespis is one of the few costumiers to provide authentic footwear with each costume set. “It must be done!” she declares.

For over 13 years, Thespis’s costumes have graced stages across Europe, from Iceland to Malta, and Margaret is far from done. Under her leadership, Thespis Theatrical Costumiers has become known for excellence, bringing history and character to life through meticulously crafted costumes.

What to Expect from Thespis Theatrical Costumiers

Our comprehensive costume packages come accessorised with everything you need—jewellery, footwear, hats, gloves, and more—often included in the price, saving you valuable time and money.

With tens of thousands of costumes, we can tailor solutions for almost any production, including plays, Shakespearean performances, corporate events.. Our costumes are professional-grade, crafted for authenticity and unsuitable for standard fancy dress.

The Complete Costume Hire Package

At Thespis, we provide a full-service solution to take the headache out of costuming. From delivery and collection with our specialised costume-transport vans to flexible, after-hours availability, we make it easy to get your costumes when and where you need them. No flimsy cardboard boxes here—our costumes are carefully packed in named garment bags and come on wooden hangers, ready to wear, saving you hours of sorting and organising.

Each costume set is fully bar-coded and includes detailed data sheets for easy identification. In our secure online “backstage area,” clients have access to our innovative e-measurement forms, as well as standard paper forms for convenience.

All costumes are tailored to fit each performer with just a little  tweaking by your wardrobe team. The costumes are labelled and barcoded for specific actors and scenes, leaving you free to focus on your production. While we offer complete show packages, we also hire individual costumes to suit your needs.

Please note that we have a minimum hire charge of £250.

“Complete shows. Completely simple.”

A Special Sound of Music Production in Luxembourg

16/11/2024

Thespis has had the privilege of costuming some of the largest productions of The Sound of Music outside of the West End and Broadway, from Ireland to Lithuania. This time, we were thrilled to be part of something truly special with Pirate Productions Luxembourg.

For their five-performance run of The Sound of Music at the Kinneksbond Cultural Centre in Mamer from 7–10 November 2024, we provided costumes for a main cast of 20, a 30-strong ensemble, and two rotating groups of children. As part of our specialized service, we used our own adapted vans to deliver the costumes directly to the production. By handling all customs paperwork in-house, we ensured a smooth overseas shipment, with costumes arriving ready-to-go—hung on named garment bags—saving the team countless hours of sorting and preparation.

The production itself has been a masterclass in collaboration, with a functional and creative set design that transforms seamlessly between the abbey and the von Trapp household. With a mix of seasoned experts and new talent in the director and musical director roles, Pirate Productions is clearly passing the torch to a new generation—and what an impressive result!

We’re incredibly proud to have played a part in making this remarkable production a success.

Bravo to the entire team!

Local news review 

Looking for the perfect costumes for The Sound of Music? Look no further than Thespis Theatrical Costumiers, your premier destination for professional and bespoke costume hire. From large-scale productions to local performances, our expertise ensures your cast looks stunning on stage.

Why Choose Thespis for The Sound of Music?

• Experience Across Europe: We've costumed some of the largest productions of The Sound of Music outside of the West End and Broadway, from Ireland to Lithuania.
• Comprehensive Costume Collections: From Maria’s iconic dirndl to the Von Trapp children’s matching outfits and the nuns’ habits, we offer complete, high-quality costumes tailored to your production.
• Specialized Services: We handle overseas shipments with ease, managing all customs paperwork in-house to ensure a stress-free process.
• Convenience: Costumes arrive pre-hung and sorted in named garment bags, delivered directly in our specially adapted vans—saving your team precious time.

Our Sound of Music Costume Options

• Maria’s wardrobe, including her novice dress and famous curtain-made play clothes.
• Elegant ensembles for Captain Von Trapp and the Von Trapp children, including sailor suits and formal evening wear.
• Authentic nun’s habits and abbess robes for the convent scenes.
• Period-specific Austrian costumes for the ensemble, from traditional dirndls to formal attire for the ball.
• Nazi uniforms for the final act, ensuring historical accuracy.

Flexible Costume Hire for Your Needs

Whether you're staging a professional production or a school performance, we work closely with directors and production teams to provide tailored costume packages. Need additional pieces or accessories? We’ve got you covered.

Contact Us for The Sound of Music Costume Hire

Bring your production of The Sound of Music to life with Thespis Theatrical Costumiers. Contact us today to discuss your needs, get a quote, or book your costumes. We serve productions across the UK, Europe, and beyond.

Celebrating 40 Years of Les Misérables with Thespis Costumes

Next year marks an extraordinary milestone for theatre lovers everywhere: the 40th anniversary of Les Misérables. In celebration of this momentous achievement, a select handful of amateur dramatic groups have been granted the opportunity to stage the show with a full adult licence for the very first time!

At Thespis, we are thrilled to play a part in this historic moment. We’ve already begun costuming some of the early productions, having previously worked on the few performances of Les Misérables allowed outside the West End. We’re honored to help bring this incredible story to life on stage once again, and we can’t wait to see these performances unfold in the hands of passionate theatre groups.

Our Les Misérables costume set has been painstakingly designed to reflect the historical period with as much accuracy as possible. From authentic period footwear to detailed firearms, necklaces, hats, gloves, and dashing revolutionary garb, every piece has been crafted with fine attention to detail. These costumes help capture the grit, drama, and passion of Victor Hugo’s timeless tale.

Given the enduring popularity of Les Misérables, our costumes for this show remain in high demand. We strongly recommend booking well in advance to secure your set and avoid missing out. Please note that we operate on a first-come, first-served basis and can only reserve costumes with a signed contract and the required reservation deposit.

This anniversary marks an incredible opportunity for amateur theatre groups to take on one of the most iconic musicals of all time, and we are delighted to support these productions. Whether it’s the heart-wrenching story of Jean Valjean, the fierce revolutionaries, or the poignant plight of the people of France, we’re here to ensure every performer looks the part.

Contact us today to discuss your costume needs and join us in celebrating 40 incredible years of Les Misérables.

Full casting has been revealed for the tenth anniversary concert of Made in Dagenham.

At the London Palladium 16th March

Pixie Lott (as Rita O’Grady), Bonnie Langford (as Barbara Castle) and Killian Donnelly (as Eddie O’Grady) lead the show.

Thespis are excited to be part of this celebration.

Well! What a start to 2024 it’s been so far for all of us here at Thespis! 
We’ve announced the imminent launching of our flagship show for this year: “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical”, which we know is going to blow everyone away with what we’ve got planned for it: Inflatable costumes, squirrel suits, glow in the dark glasses, and a literal army of Oompa-Loompas! Trust us, you are going to want to see this one!
And to top it all off, Thespis are bursting at the seams with joy to announce that we’re costuming the 10th anniversary concert for the award-winning hit West-End show ‘Made in Dagenham’ at no less than London’s largest theatre, the London Palladium, starring the ever-glorious Pixie Lott, west-end star Killian Donnelly, and the iconic British queen of stage and screen Bonnie Langford, which is gearing up to set the stage alight on the 16th of March. 
There’s nothing like a strong entrance, and we can think of no better way to announce ourselves onto the hallowed boards of the West-End than this, and we are beyond honoured to be involved. So from all of us here at Thespis, we wish everyone involved and anyone lucky enough to see it, the most magical of nights. 
Here’s to another 10!

Based on a true story and adapted from the hit film, Made in Dagenham is penned by Richard Bean with music and lyrics by David Arnold and Richard Thomas. Set in 1960s Essex, it follows Rita, a mother leading her friends in a protest against Ford’s Dagenham car plant after it lowers female workers’ pay.

Produced by Scott Garnham and Simon Schofield for Sisco Entertainment and directed by Shaun Kerrison with musical direction by Michael Bradley, the show will be staged in concert at The London Palladium on Saturday, 16 March 2024 tickets available online.

Take me to Made in Dagenham show page

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Charlie is coming

There’s a sweet smell of chocolate in the air and it’s calling your name, so my dear friends, grab your librettos because it’s time to open the factory gates and step inside the deliciously magical world of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’! 

Yes that’s right, we’re putting together our most exciting, our most daring, our most lavish set of costumes ever for this sugary feast of a show!!
But like Mr Wonka himself, we need time to concoct this splendiferious spectacle and fine tune it to perfection, so set your alarm clocks for Autumn ‘24, and make sure you get in early as spaces are already filling up! 
So get your Wonka bars and pray you get a golden ticket, because you’re not going to want to miss this one! 

And on that note, I leave you with these words from the famous man himself…

“‘We must hurry! We have so much time and so little to do! No! Wait! Strike that! Reverse it!‘”