Drama School (Belfast). 13 December 1937

Belfast News Letter

13 December 1937

This newspaper clipping (see photo) covers a ‘pop-up’ drama school which I have written about in the previous few blog posts.  However, for the first time, there is a hint that the event was not as popular as might have been hoped “…there were afternoon and evening sessions, and both might have been better attended.”

The author of the piece gave an excellent description of what Miss Helga Burgess was teaching in her mime class on how to move when imagining yourself as someone from a different historical era.

Helga demonstrated entrances, exits, movements on the stage, walking, bows, curtsies, mediaeval mannerisms, and deportment typical of the given time period.

I can imagine exactly what she would have taught, which probably included information on wimples, stomachers, lacy cuffs and snuff boxes (she is likely to have depicted both men and women alike).

My blog posts immediately prior to this one give further detailed information about this drama school.

Irene Mawer’s teaching reached around the world, yet she has been missed by the historians.  Please help to keep her memory alive by commenting, sharing, and liking this page.  Thank you.