What would Lady Macbeth be without something extravagant in which to sweep on stage or Hamlet without a silk doublet and padded hose? Costumes — the unsung heroes of Shakespearean theatre — are the stars of a new exhibition that reveals the huge effort that goes into dressing the Bard’s leading men and women. From silks woven with gold thread to baroque satin embellished with semi-precious stones, it would be understandable if subsidy-starved theatre companies tried to cut back on the cost of Shakespearean costumes.