Posted by What a splendid document this is! It seems to be a booklet-type programme – but I can’t see what the performance was, perhaps the title used to be written in by hand, or something? If you know, please do tell me.
I can see that there is a list of titles written in pencil on the front. The handwriting looks like that of Irene herself, and the list details SOME (not all) of the plays she put on at the Apex Theatre, which was part of the Birmingham School of Speech and Dramatic Art (BSSTD).
The list is a series of shows staged between 1954-1959. This is interesting because Mawer finally retired in 1959, at the age of 66, and she moved away from Birmingham to the tiny village of Blewbury in the south of England.
Mawer was employed at BSSTD as Senior Tutor and Lecturer from 1954, on the closure of the Ginner-Mawer School of Dance and Drama (due to the retirement of Ruby Ginner).
In the handwritten list, I can make out:
The Kingdom of God; Sierra; The Trojan Women; The Rivals; Iphigenia; Harlequin’s Child; (illegible); Twelfth Night; Queen of the (?)Rebels(?); (?Bitti?); Dr Faustus.
Miss Mawer is quite keen to point out “Not all programmes here”, which I take to mean that there were other productions which she hasn’t yet listed.
According to an on-line currency converter (National Archives), the cost of the programme (3d – or three pence) would be about 30p today. Not bad, I would say!
I studied at BSSTDA from 1972-1976. Miss Chapman was Principal and her daughter Miss Yardley was Vice Principal. Both taught classes. Teachers and Directors included Brian Shelton Director at Pitlochry Festival Theatre; Peter Smallwood who was a Royal Shakespeare Company Actor; Terence Soall West End and regional touring Actor; Christine Shelton, Vocal Coach and Speech Teacher; Leslie Dunn tutor of Media and Television; Henrietta Fairhead Movement and Dance Coach, and numerous visiting tutors whose names I can’t remember now.
The photograph shows the front cover for the programme of each Production presented at the Apex Theatre attached to the Birmingham School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art housed in Pamela Chapman’s home…a very large House at 45 Church Road Edgbaston in Birmingham.
Hi Paul. Thank you very much for commenting. Your info is really interesting and helpful. I am particularly interested in Henrietta Fairhead as she was connected to Irene Mawer through the Ginner-Mawer School, and the Institute of Mime. Any memories about Henrietta would be welcome. I hear Henrietta was a character!