New Accessions Forthcoming Events Recent highlights include: Robertson/Vercoe Volunteer Sessions: Design archive [donated by their daughter, Preservation preparation in Teresa Robertson] the Theatre Collection David Hughes Live Art Archive A new project for 2010— including Live Art Magazine preservation of the John Vickers [donated by David Hughes] glass plate negatives requires help in creating specialist stor- age for this unique collection. BDD Production Photographs Winter 2009/2010 Issue 22 1999-2009 Tuesday February 9th [in digital format] 10-12.30 Followed by volunteers’ “thank- Additions to the you” lunch—open to all current, Berta Freistadt Archive future and past volunteers [via her executors] Wednesday March 17th Raymond Ingram Collection 2-4.30 [bequeathed] Wednesday April 21st 10-12.30 THEATRE COLLECTION Phone Jo, Bex or Heather on MAILINGS 0117 33 15086 or email [email protected] Please note: if you have received this newsletter by mail it means that Tea and biscuits provided! Theatre Collection staff and volunteers pose with colleagues your name and address are stored from the University’s Special Collections for a unique film by on the Theatre Collection contacts This session is open to both exist- Terry Flaxton, a creative research fellow in the Drama Dept. database. These details may be used by the Theatre Collection, ing and new volunteers, there is Made on 20th May 2009 (Charter Day), to mark the 100th and also more widely by the Uni- no commitment following this anniversary of the University receiving its royal charter which versity of Bristol. Should you wish session although we would be granted it university status, the film shows groups of staff and your details to be removed from delighted to have new volun- volunteers reflecting the diversity of the University today and the database, please contact us. teers at any time. had its première at Arnolfini, Bristol on 10th November. In the TC grouping staff and volunteers were filmed, standing The Director, University of Bristol Theatre Collection, still looking at the camera, holding props from the archives. Department of Drama, Cantocks Close, Bristol BS8 1UP The film can be viewed online at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/centenary Tel: 0117 33 15086 Email: [email protected] /look/art/portraits-film.html. Website: www.bristol.ac.uk/theatrecollection Photo courtesy of Terry Flaxton 16 Centenary Celebration Designation Progress (Continued from page 14) appear together in their play Legacies The Theatre Collection is still Double Vision which they sub- By leaving a gift in your will on target to apply for sequently toured under their Designated Status from the own umbrella (later known as to the University of Bristol Museums Libraries and Show of Strength). Theatre Collection you can 2009 saw the centenary of Archives Council (MLA). help it to grow and ensure the University of Bristol. The In the same year a popular the best care for our collec- University College Bristol first The application process has nautical venue, the Thekla, was tions, so enabling students opened in 1876 but it wasn’t changed recently and the found for a new topical revue, to access this unique re- Hair of the Dog. This came to until May 1909, 32 years Theatre Collection has had source. later, that the King signed the notice of HTV who gave Regardless of its size, your to submit an Intention to the show some air time; the the royal charter giving Bris- legacy will live on forever, Apply form as the first stage, Company was then invited to tol full University status. to ensure that we are London for an early morning and it will make a significant eligible. slot on BBC One. impact on Bristol University The University has cele- generation after genera- brated in a number of ways MLA have now confirmed The following year funding was tion. during 2009, including the we are eligible to apply and secured for a lunchtime season For further .information centenary film shown on the so we will be submitting the at Arnolfini. Three scripts were please contact Jo Elsworth. chosen also a selection of front page, creating a cen- full application in March. tenary garden located out- members’ work for what was now an ever popular House New Procedures side the Wills Memorial Build- The Theatre Collection is revue: each production played ing for use by staff, students intending to apply for for a week; there were some and the public and an Designation for all of its stunning performances from A Reminder …. online exhibition, the cabi- collections, including the Ingrid Hafner and Jill Brassing- net of curiosities, from the ton among others in plays by Live Art Archives, the design It is vital that we keep a re- university collections. collection, personal and Mick Martin and Roy Bartley. cord of people using the company archives and David Foot wrote in the Guas- Theatre Collection There- A new public sculpture by those held on loan. fore, in October 2009, the artist Jeppe Hein was com- rdian: ‘The Cuddy Trap is a notable Theatre Collection intro- missioned and the work, en- Designated status would put advertisement for the emer- duced a new system where titled Follow Me was the Theatre Collection in the gent writing this persevering all external researchers opened in October in the top 5% of non-national company is encouraging...The (including those only using grounds of Royal Fort House. PWC will end their season out collections in the UK for the library) will be asked to of pocket but not short of de- quality and significance. complete a researcher’s This has been a great year served praise.’ form. A visitor’s pass will then for celebrating the past pre- be issued and must be pro- sent and future of the Uni- Marion Reed duced when signing in versity of Bristol. Vice Chair, Playwrights’ Com- pany, 1982-87 each day. 2 15 One From the Archive ... New Archives New Archives A link with Arnolfini led to that gallery kindly allowing monthly The Playwrights’ Company use of one of their rooms. The Berta Freistadt as well information about Council met bi-monthly to se- Archive her teaching. The Playwrights’ Company lect scripts; casts met up for a (PWC) was founded in 1978 by rehearsal in order to do justice Berta also most generously ACH Smith who, having seen to the script-in-hand perform- left a bequest to support his two colleagues, Tom Stop- ance—a commitment much the cataloguing and care pard and Peter Nicholls escape appreciated considering their of her archives and others to London in the sixties, was modest (£5) expenses. In the hoping to nurture a new gen- Berta Freistadt at the Theatre Collection. eration of local writers who might find an outlet for their a Her poetry archive is held at work and choose to remain. The Theatre Collection has the Women’s Library. always been proud to have A Council of Management was amongst its collections the Anne Brooke Barnett duly elected; a director, John Out to Supper work of the lesbian feminist Downey and part-time adminis- playwright Berta Freistadt. trator, Liz Keys appointed. As usual a lot of work went into Poster for review by the Playwrights Company, c. 1980 At the end of 2009, following securing a start-up grant from Berta’s sad death from SWA and support from inter- same year, 1982, a Women cancer earlier in the year, at ested parties like HTV. Live! Festival was inaugurated the age of 67, the to celebrate women’s work Initially, readings of new work nationwide. A group from the remainder of her theatre were fairly ad-hoc; any writer parent company formed them- archive was delivered to could submit a script for con- selves into Women In Theatre the Theatre Collection by sideration; a reading would be (WIT) West and a season was the executors of her estate. It is with sadness that we inform organised, cast from a pool of celebrated in the summer at local professional actors ready various venues around the city, Berta was well known as an you of the death of Anne to meet the challenge of new including the Hippodrome Bar. actor, playwright, poet, Brooke Barnett, the first Keeper work. After some try-outs of Sheila Yeger’s People for Din- teacher, and short-story of the Theatre Collection. revue material in various ven- ner, Angie Farrow’s Lost Prop- writer and she was well Anne was Keeper from 1966 to ues, in 1981 a full production erty, Susan Carlton’s Linda’s was mounted at 35 King Street: earned high praise in the local know on the London scene 1989. She was a legendary char- Out to Lunch—a topical, satiri- and national press. as a performance poet. acter who developed and cal ‘living newspaper’. Di- shaped the Theatre Collection rected by Paul Unwin, the tal- In 1985 the PWC was invited by The archive held at the ented cast included recent Gill Adams of Made in Wales to Theatre Collection contains for more than two decades. BOVTS graduates Alex Jennings participate in their Write On! her work as a playwright, The funeral will be held at and Tim Bentink, now house- Festival in the Sherman studio in including many scripts, 1.45pm 4th Feb at Canford hold names, working closely Cardiff. Sheila Hannon and research notes and books, Cemetery, Westbury-on-Trym.. with a team of four writers. Nick Thomas were selected to 14 3 New Archives tre Collection (including the Any questions …? Theatre Collection Bristol Old Vic archive), their Opening Hours Robertson/Vercoe work helps to build up com- prehensive picture of work Design Archive at the Bristol Old Vic.