New Accessions Forthcoming Events

Recent highlights include:

BOV Sound Recordings [on loan from Old Vic]

Joe Davis Archive [donated by Mrs Davis]

Motley Set Models and Motley School Material [donated by Sophie Jump] Spring/Summer 2012 Issue 28 Stephanie Cole Archive additions: Coronation Street ma- terial and radio work [donated by Stephanie Cole] Stephanie Cole The Hull Time Based Arts Archive [donated by David Priestman in Conversation and Gillian Dyson] THURSDAY 30th AUGUST 2012, THEATRE COLLECTION 7.30pm As many of you will already know, we are currently in the MAILINGS middle of building works at our main site at the Drama Department. Please note: if you have received Wickham Theatre this newsletter by mail it means that This work is to replace the old air conditioning system in the your name and address are stored on the Theatre Collection mailing Tickets £10 strong rooms and extend the climate control to cover all our list. These details may be used by archive stores. This has meant that we have moved out all our the Theatre Collection, and also collections into secure storage during the refurbishment period. more widely by the University of Bristol. Should you wish your details ALL WELCOME! to be removed from the mailing list, The library material is available, and an exhibition is still running, please contact us. so we are operating a reduced service for visitors. The TC office is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with the rest of the time The Director, University of Bristol Theatre Collection, being spent at our off-site store, unpacking the Mander & Department of Drama, Cantocks Close, Bristol BS8 1UP Mitchenson Collection. More news on this inside. Tel: 0117 33 15086 Email: [email protected] Website: www.bristol.ac.uk/theatrecollection We aim to re-open fully to researchers in early October, and although the changes may not be visible to visitors, the 16 archives will be stored in much improved conditions!

Unlocking the Collections Archive, and the Stephanie Any questions …? Theatre Collection Cole Archive. Opening Hours We have The ensuing discussions been work- highlighted several areas of ing to ex- research potential, which plore po- are currently being followed tential re- up as pilot projects. The Theatre Collection dealt search col- with 246 research enquiries laborations Theatre in the Garden from October 2011 – April Monday 12.00pm - 4 .45pm b e t w e e n 2012, including 9 regarding Tuesday to Friday academics the Live Art Archives. 9.30 am - 4.45 pm The Young across the Faculty of Arts Subjects of the enquiries Company performed ex- and the Theatre Collection. ranged from requests for We are closed at weekends tracts from their latest work, copies of sheet music, to and on Bank Holidays and The Life After, on 16th June in On 3rd May the University the Old Vic Company tour University closure days. We the gardens of Vanessa Ste- hosted a very successful of Cairo, and from Samuel close for 2 weeks in early venson‟s Concrete House in event entitled „Unlocking Beckett to eighteenth- September for collections Westbury-on-Trym. Vanessa the Theatre Collection‟. century portraits and tight- management and may very is on the Council of the Morning presentations were rope walkers. Family History occasionally close for other Friends the Theatre Collec- given by the Faculty of Arts researchers constitute a reasons - please phone us tion and kindly allowed us to Deputy Research Director large number of the enquir- on 0117 33 15086 or check display a banner and leaf- Professor Robert Bickers, ies. our website for any forth- lets to publicise the Friends. Theatre Collection Director We have continued to re- coming closure dates.

Jo Elsworth, and academics ceive a large number of It was an amazing after- with experience of working picture enquiries through In order to make the most of noon with some 50 young with the Theatre Collection our arrangement with your visit to the Theatre Col- people, aged between 11 archives. ArenaPAL (see website for lection, especially as our and 18, completely ignoring more details). holdings are split across two the stormy wind and rain to The afternoon session com- We welcome all enquiries sites, it is advisable (but not perform with marvellous en- prised a „circus‟ workshop and give each the same essential) to make an ap- ergy, enthusiasm and emo- at which academics from a care and attention. pointment with us, either by tion. There is no doubt that variety of Art and Humani- phone (0117 33 15086) or the poor weather affected ties departments had the We also had 420 visitors in e m a i l ( t h e a t r e - audience numbers but we opportunity to explore and the Reading Room during [email protected]). still enjoyed cream teas and discuss a diverse selection the same period. We can then discuss your Pimms and meeting mem- of Theatre Collection mate- All researchers are encour- requirements and retrieve bers of the Bristol Old Vic rials, objects and artwork aged to use our online any archival material re- Theatre Club who support including items from the s e a r c h f a c i l i t y : quested in time for your arri- the Young Company. Mander & Mitchenson Col- www.bristol.ac.uk/theatrec val.

lection, the John Vickers ollection in the first instance. Rosemary Silvester, Friend

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One From the Archive... One from the Archive... Did you know? lection more widely. See the Theatre Collection- During the refurbishment website and Facebook The Mander & Mitchenson got up”, with the Covent which is taking place in our page for more information. Collection continues to dis- Garden actress Mrs Mat- strong rooms in the Drama close hidden gems, includ- tocks evincing far “too Department, ing a recent journal finding much vulgarity and coarse- we are tak- Oral History Project that is far earlier than other ness”! ing the op- Update runs in the Collection. portunity to We are looking for volun-

u n p a c k teers to do oral history inter- Copies of The Dramatic Drama Dept Update more of the views. Training is provided Censor; or, Weekly Theatri- Mander & and support is available. This cal Report from March 1800 Mitchenson is a fascinating opportunity contain illuminating insights The Theatre Collection (TC) has been working with the Collection. to meet some interesting into the productions and D’Oyley Carte second year drama stu- people and add to the performances at Drury Lane Theatre Collection‟s hold- and Covent Garden that dents on one of their mod- Most recently, we have ules, where they are intro- completed the ceramics ings. season. We are also keen to ensure duced to the TC holdings collection - almost 400 items and use what they encoun- have been carefully un- interviews are transcribed, and therefore made more ter as inspiration to create packed from their boxes new work. and placed in appropriate accessible. This could be st or a ge done by volunteers who The TC staff ran a seminar to on the cannot visit the Theatre Col- show students the range s h e l v e s lection in person. You will and wealth of collections in the need a computer or laptop held, including tours of the Langford with headphones or a strong rooms. This was fol- store. speaker. You don‟t need lowed up with the students specialised knowledge as the transcription will be conducting individual re- A selec- checked by other volun- search into specific items tion of Wedgewood tile teers or staff with more that they were interested in these are featured in the knowledge and experience. and then they devel- new ex- If you are interested either oped performances using h i b i t i o n of these volunteering oppor- these items as inspiration. opening While the famous comic ac- tunities please get in touch s o o n , tress Mrs Jordan with the Theatre Collection. Ideas from the students covering “commanded universal ap- You can email the Oral His- were as diverse as the use the Man- plause by her exquisite tory Project Co-ordinator of installation pieces from der & acting”, the staging of The Rosemary Silvester at the Live Art Archives to 19th Mitchen- Belle’s Stratagem at both [email protected] or century melodrama. Black faced minstrels son Col- theatres was “very badly phone her on 0117 926 0990.

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Live Art News Live Art News New Archives Procedures nationally since it began. Update: ‘Into the Future: Performing Documents: The course was established Sustainable Access to the Modelling Creative and by Stephen Arlen and Mar- National Curatorial Engagements garet „Percy‟ Harris; its early A Reminder …. Review of Live Art with Live Art and pupils including Hayden Digital Archive’ Project Performance Archives Griffin, Carol Lawrence, Susie Caulcutt and Derek It is vital that we keep a re- This new project involving Nichol- cord of people using the the Live Art Archives is now son. Theatre Collection. There- underway. A joint collabora- fore, the TC has a system tion between the University T h e whereby all external re- of Bristol Drama Depart- Theatre searchers (including those The project deadline has ment, the University of Exe- Collec- only using the library) will be now been extended to 31st ter and the arts tion has asked to complete a re- b e e n Romeo and Juliet, New searcher‟s form. A visitor‟s September 2012 and Astrid, centre, the project will run Theatre, London 1935 a current Drama PhD stu- over the next three years g i v e n card will then be issued and dent, has been employed and cover three strands: (1) four large set models which must be produced when to contact artists and clear artists using and re-using the were built for the Motley ex- signing in each day. all relevant permissions for archives of others hibition which toured Amer- (Remake); (2) artists re- ica in the early 1990s, along- publication of the video Jo meets the Queen! works online. Most of the visiting their own archives side archive material relat- responses received to date (Redux); and (3) curatorial ing to the Motley School. have been favourable and responses to archives Jo was both privi- very supportive of the pro- (Replace). leged and de- ject. The project website A Plea for help ….. lighted to be in- vited to a recep- development is also going Each strand will include Do you enjoy tion at Bucking- well and it is anticipated workshops and symposia sewing? We ham Palace on that the site will be which will culminate in a 2 are desper- the 14th February 2012 to launched in mid – day conference during an 8 ately in need celebrate the bicentenary September. week archival exhibition at of volunteers of the birth of Charles Dick- Arnolfini, together with the who can help us make up a ens. The event celebrated This cutting-edge project production of a website/wiki variety of archival bags to Dickensian scholars and has raised a number of pages and the publication store costumes and other those involved in the wider complex legal and ethical of a book and DVD. items which won‟t go into world of theatre and litera- issues which it is hoped will boxes. It would be simple ture. assist other researchers and Further information about machining and all materials

projects in the future. the project is available on provided. More details are There are some Contact Bex for more Infor- the project webpage at available from Jo, Bex or tales to tell! mation. http://www.bristol.ac.uk/ Heather. 4 13

New Archives New Archives Live Art News Funding

Lindsay Anderson and Ar- Joe Davis Archive arts/research/performing- thur Laurents. A plaque documents/and you can We have commemorates him at the A c k n o w l - also find out more on Face- once again actor‟s church, St. Paul‟s in edged as book. been suc- Covent Garden. the first real cessful in the

lighting de- New Archive - first round of The archive has been do- the National signer, Joe Hull Time Based Arts Davis (1912- nated by Joe‟s widow in its Cataloguing Grant Scheme. 1984) was entirety and serves as an We resubmitted our appli- responsible intriguing insight into the cation from last year to Article relating to for establish- work of this seminal lighting catalogue the reference stage lighting ing the pro- designer - a side of theatre boxes from the Mander & fession and co-founded the not often recorded. Mitchenson Collection. Association of Lighting De- signers with Michael Motley Design Archive The Theatre Collection has This was successful in the first Northen. recently acquired the Hull round but not the second. The Motley Group of Design- Time Based Arts (HTBA) Ar- We are hoping to go one Davis lit hundreds of pro- ers consisted of Margaret chive. better this year, with the ductions to high acclaim, Harris, her sister Sophia Har- second round application creating subtle and beauti- ris, and Elizabeth Montgom- HTBA emerged in 1984 from being submitted in October. ful effects for a range of ery, who designed sets and the underground activity of productions including dra- costumes from 1932 to 1976 artists, filmmakers, theorists We also have a number of mas, Shakespeare and mu- for plays by Shakespeare and musicians interested in academics from across the sicals both in the UK and on and modern classics, opera, presenting and promoting Faculty of Arts working with Broadway. ballet, and motion pictures. their work and the work of the Theatre Collection, who Their designs were used in others. have been awarded seed- He designed Marlene productions in the West End corn funding from the Uni- Dietrich‟s concerts in 1967 of London, the Royal Shake- Through festivals, bursaries, versity, to develop ideas and 1968 at the Mark Hellin- speare Theatre, the English commissions, residencies, which will lead to full re- ger Theatre and Lunt- National Opera, and in the screenings and exhibitions, search grants, which will al- Fontanne Theatre on Broad- United States on Broadway HTBA supported and pro- low more of our collections way, afterwards becoming and the Metropolitan Op- moted the work of artists to be catalogued and her bespoke lighting de- era in New York City. using video, sound, live per- made accessible, alongside signer. The Motley Theatre Design formance and new tech- academic research being Course was founded in nologies. carried out Davis‟s work in the West End 1966, to train new designers into them. included productions for and has been highly re- Further information will be directors Peter Brook and garded nationally and inter- available soon.

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Public Catalogue the paintings by William Keep CALM Rebranding Update Foundation Hamilton R.A. of Sarah Sid- and catalogue! dons in

The PCF is photographing T h e As part of The Theatre Collection has the nation's oil painting col- T r a g - the Theatre recently purchased the lection and making it ac- edy of Collection‟s Axiell Software „CALM‟. cessible through a series of I s a - new visual

printed catalogues and the b e l l a identity we This is a Collections Man- Your Paintings website. and of have pro- agement software package The Theatre Collection has h e r duced a which will bring together a contributed to the Bristol brother new suite of total of 12 existing, separate catalogue with its oil, acrylic J o h n leaflets, as databases and spread- and gouache paintings. P h i l i p seen here. sheets into one system. K e m - General Leaflet The art collection forms an ble in Romeo and Juliet by The new software package integral part of the Theatre R i c h - Mather Brown These are will enable all collections Collection‟s holdings. In ard III, available from processes within the Theatre theatre, where everything is and the Mather Brown‟s Ro- the Theatre Collection to be undertaken so ephemeral and so little meo and Juliet showing a Collection on via one system which will remains to represent the happy ending with the lov- request and make the process seamless performance event itself, ers emerging from the include our and coherent. artwork takes on an addi- tomb! General leaf-

tional significance. let, Supporting Work is currently being un- S o m e Alongside these individual leaflet, and dertaken to map the exist- of the masterpieces, much of the Research leaf- ing data into the new sys- Supporting Leaflet m o r e art collection‟s content is let. tem, following which Axiell i n t e r - characterised by its eclecti- will complete the data e s t i n g cism. It includes pieces that Look out for transfer and then the work p a i n t - have been purchased or, our new news- on checking and validating ings in more frequently, donated letter, which is the data in the new system o u r purely on the grounds of the next to can begin! collec- their artistic merit; pieces receive this

t i o n that are significant because t r e a t m e n t This will eventually lead to a include of the integral and impor- and which we new online catalogue t h e tant theatrical information h o p e t o which it is hoped will go live King Lear by William Etty r a t h e r they convey and individual launch with in 2013, along with a whole h a u n t - items that form part of the our next edi- new website! In the mean- ing Charles Kean as King larger archives of directors, Research Leaflet tion and will time the collections informa- Lear by William Etty (our first actors, companies, design- feature a tion can still be accessed in formal acquisition in 1957), ers, historians and photogra- new layout! phers that we hold. the current manner. 6 11

TC Exhibition News TC Exhibition News Volunteer News Volunteer News

‘A Life in the Theatre: The ‘Peter Pan: The Boy Who Another Great Beerbohm Trees and the Wouldn’t Grow Up’ Making of Her Majesty’s’ Wrapathon!

A big welcome to our new volunteers Rachel, Laura, Steve and Helen. With the help of eleven vol- unteers we managed to Earlier in the spring, this exhi- Rachel has been busy listing wrap a further four boxes of bition celebrated J. M. Bar- the Herbert Farjeon letters glass plate negatives from This exhibition was created rie‟s classic story and thea- and found the original pro- the John Vickers Collection th by MA History of Art and MA tre productions spanning posal of marriage letter from on April 18 . Performance Research stu- the 20th and 21st centuries. Herbert to Joan! dents at the University of We are now more than half- Bristol in collaboration with way through the 20,000 The exhibition showcased a Laura has been helping to the Theatre Collection, and negatives gifted by John number of items from the list in detail the RSC pro- was formally launched on Vickers‟ wife and daughter Mander & Mitchenson Col- grammes in our collection 20 March. to the Theatre Collection! lection, including copies of and is currently working

Barrie‟s original stories, pro- hard on the library audit, The exhibition comprised Over delicious home-made grammes and production while Steve and Helen have materials for two major pro- cakes, John Park, a volun- photographs, and costumes joined us out at Langford to ductions at Her Majesty‟s teer who has been working from a 1954 American pro- work on the Mander & Theatre in 1898, Julius Cae- on the paper and photo- duction. These were seen Mitchenson Collection. sar and The Musketeers. It graphic print archive, told alongside projected lantern included music scores, ex- us more about the life of slide images from the early Helen is currently undertak- tracts from Tree‟s personal John Vickers. A London- twentieth century and de- ing a PhD relating to art his- notebook, set and costume based photographer, Vick- signs by John Elvery for the tory and her knowledge has designs, character portraits, ers was a „pupil‟ of Angus 1980s Bristol Old Vic produc- proved invaluable in help- scripts, and ephemera in- McBean. He taught Mario tion. ing to sort the photographic cluding a commemorative Testino, who started his ca- prints from the Greenwich menu for the 100th perform- reer working for Vickers; The next exhibition will show- Theatre and other historical ance of The Musketeers, let- quite a distinguished line- case newly discovered prints from the collection. ters, programmes and press age! items from the Mander & cuttings. Mitchenson Collection. Liz Bird – Volunteer 10 7

Friends News Friends News Friends Event well known to radio listeners. Visit to and host, Marcus Risdell re- STEPHANIE COLE - IN The Garrick Club, London vealing the secret world be- Her extensive radio drama hind the club's doors. CONVERSATION credits include Cabin Pres- sure and Ed Reardon’s What to pick out? For me Week. In 2002 she was given the two Zoffany portraits of an honorary Master of Arts

David Garrick, a beautiful degree from the University picture of Peg Woffington of Bristol, and in 2005 she

as Elvira, the Millais portrait was awarded an OBE for of Henry Irving (once black- her services to Drama, Men- The Garrick Club was balled by club members) tal Health and the Elderly. founded in 1831 and houses Stephanie is President of the and a striking image of Taylor Danny Photo: the largest and most signifi- Dame Gladys Cooper by Sir Friends of the University of cant collection of British the- John Collier. Bristol Theatre Collection. atrical works of art with over

1,000 paintings, drawings Memorabilia abounded - Stephanie will be in conver- and pieces of sculpture on THURSDAY 30th AUGUST David Garrick's chair from sation with Ray Price, Chair- display. Many of the major 2012, 7.30pm the Drury Lane Theatre, a man of Bristol Old Vic Thea- literary, theatrical and artis- signed copy of Stephen tre Club. Early booking is tic personalities of the last 2 Sondheim's song book and Wickham Theatre advised! centuries have been mem- the two display cabinets of University of Bristol bers, including Charles Dick- delicate porcelain minia- Tickets £10 This is a fundraising event for ens, William Makepeace tures were an unexpected the University of Bristol Thea- Thackeray and Henry Irving. delight. Stephanie Cole is a stage, tre Collection organised by It is still, of course, a television, and film actress the Friends of the Theatre “gentlemen only” club! An embarrassment of riches, who trained at Bristol Old Collection, reg charity no. you might well say, and the Vic Theatre School and 272392 As well as viewing all the whole collection brought to made her debut at Bristol main rooms of the Club and life by Marcus Risdell. As far Old Vic at the age of 17. For booking details see highlights from the collec- as we were concerned Mar- Her long and varied career www.bristol.ac.uk/ tion the visit included the cus, the Club's curator, was includes a formidable list of theatrecollection/ Library with its rich collection the star performer on show theatre credits and popular events.html or email of books, plays, prints and that day. TV series such as Tenko and [email protected] manuscripts. Congratulations to Rose- Waiting For God. Currently mary Silvester for her organi- she can be seen on televi- “It was an unmissable op- sation.” sion as 'Sylvia Goodwin' in portunity; not just to see the ALL WELCOME! Coronation Street. Stepha- great theatrical paintings, Guy Thomas, Friend nie is also extremely but also to hear our guide 8 9