From the British Newspaper Archives (britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Name of Newspaper ‘Graphic’ Date of publication of newspaper 13 February 1926 Miss Mawer would have been approximately 32 years old at this time. The newspaper article, I think, is not talking about a book called ‘Word-Rhythms,’ rather it is talking about Miss Mawer’s
Continue reading
This article is taken from a clipping in the British Newspaper Archive (britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) and was printed in a paper called The Era on 8 July 1936. It is a review of one of the many performances given by the students at the Ginner-Mawer School of Dance and Drama. Although this
Continue reading
Today’s blog post is a copy of an article printed in an old newspaper. The article is taken from a newspaper cutting, found on the website of the British newspaper Archive (britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) The writer of the article is not named and makes the unfortunate assertion, right at the start, that
Continue reading
After five years of working in Birmingham, Miss Mawer retired at the age of 66, a full six years after the age at which she could have drawn her state pension. Leaving her flat in Edgbaston she moved to be near her great friend, Ruby, in the tiny village of
Continue reading
Irene Rose Mawer was born on 13 March 1893, to Henry Mawer (Harry) and Rosina Alberta Mawer (née Turner). She grew up in an affluent family in Wandsworth which at the time was in Surrey, but is now in London. As a baby and toddler, Irene would have been dressed
Continue reading
Would you like to read an on-line version of the Art of Mime? If so, it is possible via the Internet Archive. Don’t worry – there’s no catch, and you won’t be scammed or bombarded with dud emails (or at least, I haven’t been!). The Internet Archive, also sometimes called
Continue reading
Although Rocco is not using the Irene Mawer technique, he is using a very clear technique, he is also telling a story, and best of all – he is not ‘gurning’. So many mimes today feel that they need to use over-the-top facial expressions. Fine! I am not going to
Continue reading
Circa 1920, when Irene Mawer would have been in her late twenties, she wrote a book entitled ‘Rhymes and Plays for the Bobblies’. I have a copy of this book, though its provenance is unknown. The book is a soft back and the pages are made of very thick paper,
Continue reading
Did Irene Mawer make an impact upon the world? If you check on-line for Twentieth Century female mimes then you would barely even know that Miss Mawer existed. This is a failing of modern technology, and perhaps, also of Irene Mawer herself. Irene spent fifty years making her mark, but
Continue reading
If Irene Mawer were still alive, she would be a very old lady indeed – in fact, on 13 March 2021 she would be 128 years old! Irene Rose Mawer was born on 13th March 1893; the sixth and final child of affluent parents in the Wandsworth area of Surrey.
Continue reading