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Muriel Lanchester

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Muriel Lanchester
Muriel Lanchester, from a 1939 newspaper article
Born
Gertrude Muriel Bell

(1901-10-28)28 October 1901
Whalley Range, Manchester, England
Died11 October 1992(1992-10-11) (aged 90)
Malvern, Worcestershire, England
Other namesGertrude M Lanchester
Occupation(s)Ceramicist
Puppeteer
SpouseWaldo Lanchester
RelativesElsa Lanchester, (Sister-in-Law)
Edith Lanchester (Mother-in-Law)

Muriel Lanchester (28 October 1902 - 11 October 1992) was a British ceramicist and co-founder of the puppet theatre company, the Lanchester Marionettes. Lanchester and her husband, Waldo were the first British people to appear on French television, as part of the World's Fair in Paris in 1937.[1] George Bernard Shaw’s final play, Shakes versus Shav, was written for the Lanchester Marionettes in 1949.[2]

Personal life

[edit]

Gertrude Muriel Bell was born to parents Thomas Pool Bell (1845-1920) and Gertrude Ann, née Reston (1872-1958). By 1911 she had moved to Cheshire and by 1921 she was living in Colwyn Bay. She moved to Malvern in 1932 to establish a ceramics studio. In 1934 she met puppeteer Waldo Lanchester (1897-1978) while he was looking for a site to set up his puppet theatre for the Malvern Festival. They married in London in July 1935 and lived at Foley House, Malvern[3] until 1951 when they moved to Stratford-upon-Avon. After retiring in 1969 they moved to Wilmcote.[4] After Waldo died she returned to Malvern and lived at the Davenham Retirement Home until her death.[5]

Ceramicist

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St. Ann’s Well, Malvern

Lanchester became interested in pottery after visiting an exhibition in Canada in 1927. Upon her return to England, she attended the Royal College of Art in Kensington, subsequently becoming a “star pupil”[6] of the “father of British studio pottery”,[7] Bernard Leach, working at Leach Pottery from 1930 to 1931.[8] While there she taught Leach's son, David, how to throw pots.[9] In 1932, she established St. Anne's Pottery at St. Ann's Well, Malvern,[10] making utility stoneware articles.[11] The pottery was in a converted 600-year-old stable that had once housed a kiln used by monks in the 15th century.[12][13] She lectured at the Malvern School of Art and took on occasional apprentices,[14] including May Davis (1914-1995).[15]

Foley House, Malvern

In 1935 she exhibited her wares at the Red Rose Guild of Artworkers’ exhibition in Manchester, which, at the time, ranked of “first importance in the minds of all craft workers”.[16] By 1940 she was using one of the large rooms in Foley House, the home she shared with Waldo, as a pottery studio and shop.[17]

The Lanchester Marionettes

[edit]
See also: Lanchester Marionettes
The plaque outside Foley House, Malvern

Lanchester and Waldo were interested in the early 20th century puppet revival, pioneered by Harry Whanslaw, who Waldo had worked with in the 1920s as part of the London Marionette Theatre.[18] They established the 50-seat Lanchester Marionettes Theatre at Foley House, “the only theatre in the country exclusively to be used for marionettes.”[19] It was opened on 24 July 1936 by Sir Barry Jackson, with George Bernard Shaw in the audience.[20] Waldo created the puppets, Lanchester the costumes[21] and both would work the puppets.[22][23]

WWII

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As part of the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) (and subsequently CEMA[24]) the Lanchesters ran a touring puppet show that travelled 40,000 miles[25] giving c. 700 performances[26] throughout the UK. They appeared in factories, military camps and industrial workers’ hostels,[27] as well as putting on performances for evacuees.[28] When the Lanchesters initially offered their services, they were refused on the grounds that “the men wouldn’t want to watch Punch and Judy.” However, after almost two years ENSA realised the Lanchester Marionettes “bore no resemblance to seaside puppets” and were accepted.[29]

Productions

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See also: Shakes versus Shav

Their best-known show was Shakes versus Shav, written by George Bernard Shaw, which premiered at Malvern's Lyttelton Hall on 9 August 1949. It was described as “a rumbustious knock-about farce” by Eric Walter White, of the Arts Council of Great Britain, who had “a minor reputation for being knowledgeable about puppetry”.[30] The cast was Shaw, Shakespeare, Macbeth, Rob Roy, Captain Shotover and Ellie Dunn.[31] Lanchester made all the costumes, seeking advice from Scotland regarding the correct tartan for the two Scottish characters.[citation needed]

Other notable productions included:

In 1945 they were “taken bodily up to London” to appear in the film The Seventh Veil, starring Ann Todd and Hugh McDemott.[39]

From 1951 onwards

[edit]

In 1951 they moved to Stratford-upon-Avon, where they opened a Puppet Centre opposite the birthplace of Shakespeare. They sold puppets[40] and also housed a “permanent exhibition of English & foreign puppets.”[41] By 1952 they had “clocked up 100,000 miles” of travel around Great Britain.[42]

In 1955 they made the film Magic Strings, directed by John R F Stewart.[43] During the 1960s they produced smaller-scale productions, staged exhibitions and gave lecture-demonstrations.[44] In 1972 Lanchester and Waldo were elected as Honorary Members of the International Puppetry Association, UNIMA.[45]

In 2006 their collection of over 40 marionettes, sets and props was bought by the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, through a National Lottery grant.[46][47] It is kept in Bridgnorth, Shropshire.[48]

See also

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  • Fisher, Douglas Wooden Stars: The Lanchester Marionettes (London; 1947) pub. TV Boardman Ltd

References

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  1. ^ "The Lanchester Marionettes". wepa.unima.org. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  2. ^ "The Lanchesters". The Stage. London, UK. 25 September 1969. p. 16.
  3. ^ E.S.F. (30 May 1935). "An engagement". Evening Despatch. Birmingham, UK. p. 8.
  4. ^ "The Lanchester Marionettes". wepa.unima.org. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Muriel Lanchester, Great Malvern". Stratford Upon Avon Herald. Stratford Upon Avon, UK. 23 October 1992. p. 10.
  6. ^ "Muriel Lanchester, Great Malvern". Stratford Upon Avon Herald. Stratford Upon Avon, UK. 23 October 1992. p. 10.
  7. ^ "Bernard Leach (1887 – 1979)". British Council. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  8. ^ Vincentelli, Moira (2000). Women and ceramics; gendered vessels. Bristol, UK: Manchester University Press. p. 160. ISBN 0719038391.
  9. ^ Whybrow, Marion (1996). The Leach Legacy: The St Ives Pottery and its influence. Manchester, UK: Sansom and Co. p. 17. ISBN 1900178400.
  10. ^ Steve Cockaigne. "Puppeteers remembered". worcesternews.co.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  11. ^ E.S.F. (8 October 2002). "A Midland Woman's Diary". Evening Despatch. Birmingham, UK. p. 8.
  12. ^ "A womab potter". www.gettyimages.ae. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  13. ^ E.S.F. (14 November 1933). "A Midland potter and her work". Evening Despatch. Birmingham, UK. p. 8.
  14. ^ E.S.F. (14 November 1933). "A Midland potter and her work". Evening Despatch. Birmingham, UK. p. 8.
  15. ^ Vincentelli, Moira (2000). Women and ceramics; gendered vessels. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press. p. 149. ISBN 0719038391.
  16. ^ E.S.F. (8 October 1935). "A Midland woman's diary". Evening Despatch. Birmingham, UK. p. 8.
  17. ^ "The Lanchester Marionette Theatre". Alderley and Wilmslow Advertisor. Wilmslow, UK. 4 October 1940. p. 4.
  18. ^ "Harry William Whanslaw". World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  19. ^ "Marionettes Feature". Bath Chronicle and Weekly. Bath, UK. 2 August 1944. p. 1.
  20. ^ "Marionette Opera". Evening Despatch. Birmingham, UK. 20 January 1950. p. 4.
  21. ^ "Farewell GBS". shaw-institute.com. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  22. ^ "Salute the Lanchesters and GBS". Puppetry Journal (Vol. 2 No. 4 ed.). Oxford, Ohio: Puppeteers of America Inc. January 1951. p. 2.
  23. ^ Steve Cockaigne. "Puppeteers remembered". worcesternews.co.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  24. ^ "Colour film on making of a marionette". Stratford-Upon-Avon Herald. Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK. 22 October 1948. p. 3.
  25. ^ "Lanchester Marionettes". Belfast Telegraph. Belfast, UK. 12 March 1948. p. 8.
  26. ^ "Colour film on making of a marionette". Stratford-Upon-Avon Herald. Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK. 22 October 1948. p. 3.
  27. ^ "Marionette Theatre". Staffordshire Advertiser. Stafford, UK. 2 November 1946. p. 8.
  28. ^ <--not stated--> (20 January 1950). "Marionette Opera". Evening Despatch. Birmingham, UK. p. 4.
  29. ^ Merriman, Andy (2014). Greasepaint and cordite: How ENSA entertained the troops during World War II. London, UK: Aurum. p. 76. ISBN 978-1781311622.
  30. ^ White, Eric Walter (1975). The Arts Council of Great Britain. London: Davis-Poynter. p. 271. ISBN 0706701089.
  31. ^ White, Eric Walter (1975). The Arts Council of Great Britain. London: Davis-Poynter. p. 271. ISBN 0706701089.
  32. ^ "C.E.M.A. at its best". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Aberdeen, UK. 8 October 2002. p. 4.
  33. ^ "The Lanchester Marionettes". wepa.unima.org. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  34. ^ Niculescu, Margareta (1967). The Puppet Theatre of the Modern World: An international presentation in words and pictures. Boston, USA: Plays Inc. p. 219.
  35. ^ Arnott, Peter D (1964). Plays without people knowledge. Indiana, USA: Indiana University Press. p. 44.
  36. ^ George (March 1961). "Punch lines". Puppetry Journal (Vol. 4 No. 4 ed.). Oxford, Ohio: Puppeteers of America Inc. p. 24.
  37. ^ Insert, insert (1964). Encyclopaedia Britannica, a new survey of universal knowledge. Chicago, USA: Encyclopaedia Britannica. p. 986.
  38. ^ "Novelty at Riverside". Kinematograph Weekly. London, UK. 18 January 1945. p. 33.
  39. ^ "Puppets in the studio". Birmingham Mail. Birmingham, UK. 24 January 1945. p. 3.
  40. ^ "Lanchester-Lee Marionette Kits". www.iandenny.co.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  41. ^ "The Lanchester Marionettes". The British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild Festival Exhibition. London, mUK: British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild. 1951. p. 43.
  42. ^ Keith Brace (1 September 1969). "Puppet King rings down the curtain". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, UK. p. 26.
  43. ^ "Magic Strings (1955)". www2.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  44. ^ "Summer school for singers". The Musical Times (Vol. 104 No. 1443 ed.). London, UK: Musical Times Inc. May 1963. p. 311.
  45. ^ "Puppets by Chas. Trentham". The Stage. London, UK. 19 October 1972. p. 36.
  46. ^ "The National Puppetry Archive". britishpuppetguild.com. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  47. ^ "Lanchester Marionette Archive". www.heritagefund.org.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  48. ^ Kelly, Paul (2013). ASLIB directory of information sources in the United Kingdom 17th edition. London, UK: Taylor and Francis Group. p. 185. ISBN 9781857436648.
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