Tuesday, 23 December 2014

UK press archives 1929-1945

Mentions found in the UK press archives. Papers covered included the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Sunday Express, Church Times and the Daily Worker, Beatrix joined the Daily Worker's editorial board in 1943. Unfortunately the digital archives stop at the end of 1945 so need to continue searching at the BL to see how long she stayed there.


 
Daily Mirror 18 June 1929 – AMAZING photo from All God’s chillin

Daily Mirror May 27 1933 – review for Wild Decembers “style and polish but a dull piece” … “especially hat of Emily’s death in which the acting of Miss Lehmann is superb”.

Church Times Sept 15 1933; Sept 29 1933; 6 Oct 1933; 13 Oct 1933
 Ad for The Wandering Jew
“princes theatre, Matheson Lang in the Wandering Jew by E. Temple Thurston, Hutin Britton, Stella Arbenina, Jane Wood, Beatrix Lehmann

The Daily Mirror
Tues Oct 24 1933
Tudor Wench – review
Queen Bess as a girl, pretty as fiction but hardly history
BL is quite unlike the traditional portraits of Queen Elizabeth. But she has dignity and a certain imperious fire. In other words she is interesting as a character…

Daily Mirror – Nov 17 1933
Tudor Wench – review – transfer
BL as Elizabeth displays tenderness and romanticism.

Daily Express Nov 20 1933 Nov 25 1933
Small Ad for Tudor Wench

Daily Mirror Nov 23 1933 Dec 6 1933;
Small Ad for Tudor Wench

Daily Express
Jan 30 1934
PHOTO – for radio broadcast of Wild Decembers

Yorkshire Post Jan 30
Radio listing for Wild Decembers

Daily Express – Jan 31 1934
Review radio broadcast Wild Decembers

Daily Mirror Feb 12 1934
Preview for Success story

Daily Mirror – Feb 16 1934
Review of Success story

Church Times June 29 1934 Mention of Rumour of heaven
Review on next page

Yorkshire Post, Sept 1 1934
Eden End preview

The Daily Express Sept 3 1934
Eden End preview

Daily Express Sept 14 1934
Eden End review

Daily Express Aug 1935
Pleasant Portion – listing

Daily Worker  Aug 14 1935; Aug 16
Radio listing PP

Daily Mirror – Oct 18 1935
Passing on the third floor – review

Yorkshire post Jan 7 1936
Passing on the third floor – review

Yorkshire Post Feb 13 1936
Various Heavens = gate theatre review
“MBL so outshone the remainder of the cast that “competent” must be their only award”.

Daily express, March 12 1937
Scenes from Shakespeare – listed under Television!

Daily Expres Jan 5 1938
Mourning becomes Electra – Westminster theatre – transfer
“Four hour play for the West end” At the New on January 19th for an unlimited run with the original cast headed by Beatrix Lehmann.
There will be only six performances a week, with a matinee instead of an evening show on Monday (!)”

Daily Worker March 2 1938
“Frustrated girl in love with artist” No more music only showing at Duke of ork.
“fortunately she was played by Beatrix Lehmann and played with a harsh pathos which compelled my interest and therefore my pity.

Daily Express May 11 1938
PHOTO caption “a story in her brother’s book”.
“I am reminded that on January 17 I wrote, I must remember to write about New Writing one day.
Here I am remembering for a new issue is just out. It’s a good miscellany which comes out twice a year, a magazine bound like a book by John Lehmann. There’s a story by actress Beatrix Lehmann in this number, but it isn’t only nepotisim (if you can call a sister a nephew) that causes its inclusion, it is a dry satirical story of film making called, The two thousand pound raspberry. B. Lehmann is also a sister of novelist Rosamond L.
Other contributors include a Spanish goatherd, an ex-traveller in stamp albums, A Russian humorist, a South Wales colliery amuleance man, a Chinese “girl” with the charming name of Ting Ling. (!How wonderful to think that Bea could have read Ding Ling, she would have ADORED Miss Sophie’s Diary).

Daily Worker June 1 1938
New Writing review
“good humour and good writing”
There are two lovely stories in the not-so-serious vein. … The other piece of humour, The two-thousand pound raspberry by Beatrix Lehmann, is an expose of crazy film finance. The raspberry in the title is not horticultural, but colloquial…”

Daily Worker Sept 23 1938
“actors meet on crisis”
The theatre group of the Left Book Club is meeting tonight at 5.30 in the Group Theatre rooms, 9, Great Newport Street, in order to discuss the crisis.
The meeting is to be addressed by M. Ronald Kidd, of the Council for Civil Liberties. In the chair will be Lewis Casson and supporting the meeting are Gwen Ffrangeon-Davis, Kack Hawkins and Gillian Scaife. Beatrix Lehmann will also be present.”

Sunday Express Jan 15 1939
Theatre ad for They walk alone

Daily mirror Jan 19 1939; Jan 21 1939; Jan 23 1939; Jan 24;
Theatre ad for They walk alone

Daily Mirror Jan 25 1939; Jan 26, Jan 27, Jan 28,
Theatre ad for They walk alone
With reviews “Grips with suspense and horror … audience spellbound – star
Deserves success original and amazingly efficient – daily mail
Shivers went up and down the spine … a tremendous tour de force – news chronicle
Horrible audiences is breathless and appalled – evening news
Brilliant Beatrix Lehmann electrified us with the most terrifying acting London has ever seen – D. Herald
Beatrix Lehmann's magnificent acting well matched by that of Carol Goodner – evening standard

Sunday Express Jan 29 Feb 5th, Feb 12th, Mar 26
Longer ad for They walk alone

Daily Worker
Jan 30 1939
They walk alone review
“The new play They walk alone is remarkable for the performance of Beatrix Lehmann. This actress has made a name fore herself in tragic and unusual parts. … Miss Lehmann makes us feel all the horror of her actions and yet gains at times our sympathy for the pathetic child who knows of her affliction, but cannot help it. Those who admired her in Mourning becomes Electra will want to see this.”

Daily Mirror (and Daily express and Sunday Express)
Feb 2 1939 Feb 3, Feb 4, Feb 6th, Feb 7th, Feb 8th, Feb 9th, Feb 11th, Feb 13th, Feb 16th, Feb 17, Feb 18, Feb 20, Feb 21, Feb 22, Feb 23, Feb 25, Mar 1, Mar 2, Mar 3, Mar 4, Mar 6, Mar 7, Mar 8, Mar 9, Mar 11, Mar 13, Mar 14, Mar 17, Mar 18, Mar 19, Mar 21, Mar 22, Mar 23, Mar 24, Mar 25, Mar 27, Mar 28, Mar 29, Mar 30, Mar 31, April 1, April 3, April 4, April 5, April 6, April 8, April 11, April 12, April 13, April 14, April 18, April 19, April 20, April 22, April 23, April 24, April 25, April 26, April 27, April 28 –  review last Shaftesbury performance.

They walk alone - ad



Comedy theatre , may 1, May 2, May 3, May 4, May 5, May 9, May 10, May 13, May 16, May 18, May 19, May 20, may 22, may 23, May 24, May 25, May 26, May 29, May 30, June 1,
They walk alone – ad

Daily Express – May 17 1939
They walk alone –review
“last night I tried They walk alone. NO acid baths here, but a Cornish maidservant who strangles her lovers and plays the church organ at night.
One of the most remarkable feats of acting I have ever experienced is the way Beatrix Lehmann suggests for the part, that she has the wrists of a butcher and the calves of a spindly schoolgirl, neither being true.
Audience took this one more tensely, were brought back from the bars after the interval by the organ playing.
They walk alone is the better thrille. Half moon street could beat it though if they’d put that acid bath on stage. Both would improve with stunning ghostly music at the intervalrs and programme gilrs like mr disney’s witch would aid the authors’ macabre moods.”

May  1, 10, 19, 25 June 1stThey walk alone – comedy theatre

June 20, June 21, June 22,
They walk alone – Streatham Hill

Daily Mirror June 26, June 30
They walk alone – Golders Green

Daily mirror July 24, 1939 – Radio Storm over Santa Cruz

Daily mirror July 26 1939
Storm over Santa Cruz – review
Next to variety or music hall stuff the most popular item in the BBC programmes is the raido play.
But all the plays are not as good as Storm over Santa Cruz, this is the best since Patrick Hamilton’s Money by Menaces, which was also you remember, a telephone drama….
Not a great many first class plays get specifically written for the air, probably because there is not a lot in it financially. It is therefore a good idea of the BBC to scour Europe and find what the continental authors are doing.
Storm over SC by the Polish writer Janina Morawski is a promising start. It is a play which engenders real excitement and stimulates the imagination. Its only weakness is the incredible stupidity of the officials when they receive warning of the impending catastrophe from the heroic telephone girl.
If such people really guide the destinies of places like Santa Cruz no wonder those quarters of the globe are what is known as “backward.” (!)  Clearly nothing less than a cyclone can wake them up, so perhaps providence knows its business better than we think (!)
In a radio play which depicts the rising of a great storm the producer counts for a great deal, and John Cheatie is entitled to congraution for the realism of his Mise en sound, if I may be allowed a hybrid expression.
The atmosphere too really did seem thick with impeding doom and this effect was greatly asserted by those deep level tones of Beatrix Lehmann, whose voice invariably suggests that, however frivolous things may be, at the moment, tragedy is just round the corner.
It is said that an accepted wit has only to say, Pass the mustard, to raise a laugh. I am sure that Miss Lehman has only to ask for a cup of tea to imply someone or something is soon going to be in the soup.
Miss Lehmann’s was a fine performance as was that of the negro by Robert Adams….

Daily Express August 30 1939
Jasmine Bligh – gossip about being on Television
“nice company I’m keeping when I go to Broadcasting house to have my neck wrung in the new Murders game on Sept 17. As I creep down Stygian corridors my fellow creepers will be Miss Margaret Lockwood, Mr Michael Redgrave, Miss Beatrix Lehmann.

Daily Express October 9th 1939
Jack de Leon has had the idea of non-stop plays. At a west end theatre soon he will put on a bill comprising three one act pieces. Pound on demand and the End of the Beginning by Sean O’casey and Strindberg’s Parish. The star will be Beatrix Lehamnn. The programme will be continuous from 2pm until 10 or 11, according to the restrictions on the chosen theatre.

Daily Mirror January 25 1940
Desire under the elms- westminster – review
“we see little of the elms but a great deal of the desire. Heralded as an exposition of elemental passion, this story of life on a New England farm in 1850 is certainly as primitive as violence, adultery and muder can make it. ..

Daily Express,  Feb 7 1940, Feb 8, Feb 16, Feb 21, Feb 22, Feb 23, Feb 24, Feb 25, Feb 27, Mar 3, (and daily worker) Mar 5, Mar 6, DW, Mar 7 Mar 8, Mar 9, Mar, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 (last weeks) 20, 21, 23, 28, 29, 30, April 1, 3, 4, 5,  (last 3 performances)
Desire under the elms – Westminster – ad

Daily Worker Sept 6 1940
At the same Hall, (Beaver Hall) on Firday, September 6th a 7.30 Walter Hudd and Beatrix Lehmann will take leading parts in a play “Freedom on trial” to be produced by Andre Van Gyseghem. In this dramatic representation of the struggle for freedom in Britain historical characters such as John Ball leader of the Peasants’ revolt in 1381, Liburno, John Milton and the chartists will appear in the dock or as witness to answer for their beliefs.

DailY worker Sept 28 1940
Big spread on A people’s convention for a people’s government.

Daily worker Dec 3 1940
People’s convention rally to be held on Dec 15,  “very particular interest will attach to a statement by the famous actress, Miss Beatrix Lehmann, who is a good deal better known on the West End stage than on political platforms.”

Daily worker Dec 16 1940
Convention sweeps on (continued from p1 also saved)
“Beatrix Lehmann, leading west end actress, declared that the convention call must appeal to everyone who has “a heart to feel with or a head to think with. The programme is a programme of simple justice and common sense the time has come to begin anew. “

Daily Express Jan 22 1941
BBC may ban 150 show people
“what is the BBC going to do about the famous entertainment names that appear among the published list of supporters of the people’s convention?... Agreed in principle. I’m told that about 150 show folk are involved including as suspporters such names as Michael Redgrave, Lew Stone, Phil Cardew, Beatrix Lehman, Mary Merrall, Rosamund Lehmann, Van Phillips, Benny Frankel and others…

Daily Express, Feb 16 1942, feb 17, 18, 20,
Jam to day – St martins - ad

Daily Express Feb 20, 1942,
Jam to-day review
“love, libel, laughter
Love laughs at libels is the motif behind this slick comedy of domesticity and damages.
A novelist (John Stuart) unintentionally libels an inhibited wife (Beatrix Lehmann) in one of his books and the husband (Frank Pettingell) responds in the traditional manner by socking the novelist for £5,000
Whereupon the wife renders the libel null and void by embarking on a three weeks affair with the libellous novelist, thereby keeping us laughing politely and comfortable for three acts.
Some of Miss Lehmann’s naughtiest acting to date – and a triumph for fat, mumble-fumble Mr. Pettingeli.”

The Sunday Express, Feb 22 1942
Jam to-day review
Two film writers Denis Waldock and Roger Burford have written an amusing light comedy in Jam Today (St mArtins)
Beatrix Lehmann disillusioned wife of an elderly archaeologist, is libelled by a lady killing novelist (John Stuart). Her husband is more hurt than she is. She falls for the novelist but picks herself up again – an how like a serpant she does it!
Not enough for three acts here, but the wit crackles and the acting of Miss Lehmann, Frank Pettingeli, Olga Lindo and a cast of all round excellence produces a show of a cynically merry flavour.”

Daily Worker Nov 3 1942
Manchester’s celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Russian revolution, at Ardwick Hipodrome… Miss Beatrix Lehmann will declaim a specially composed salute to the Soviet Union.

Daily Worker (front page) April 29 1943
PHOTO (in fact photo just bought autographed)
Two women Join DW (Daily Worker) editorial board
The membership of the editorial board has now been reinforced by the addition of Miss Beatrix Lehmann and Miss Ruth Osborne, who have accepted the invitation to join the board arising out of the decision of the recent Daily Worker conference that the board must include women readers(!)
Beatrix Lehmann is a well known actress who as been actively associated with progressive causes for many years.
Ruth Osborne is a young factory worker and shop steward. She is employed on war work in a large London Factory.
Both are lively personalities who will bring valuable experiences to the editorial board and ensure that the women’s point of view will be put. Their appointment marks a further step forward in the development of the daily worker.

Daily Worker – May 4th 1943, May 5th, 7th, 8th, 11. 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, June 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, July 1, 6, 9, 10, 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 27, 29, 30, Aug 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 23, 26, 28, Sept 3, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 29, Oct 4, 16, 18, 20, 21, 25, 29, 30, Nov 1, 2,  8 10, 16, 17, 22, Dec 4, 06, 7, 10, 11, 13,
BL listed as on editorial board.

Daily Worker June 10 1943
Learning to be an actor by Beatrix Lehmann (didn’t show up in search)
Photo
One of the most frequent questions put to experienced actors comes from uknown young people who ask, How can I become an actor.
The difficulties that beset the path of a would-be actor are invariably of the same character. Lack of funds…

Daily Express – June 22 1943, 24, 25 July 1, 2, 3,
Ghosts – Duke of York – ad

Daily worker June 28 1943
Photo Review Ghosts- though bad copy so hard to read
Sober and ? though it is the play is ? moving ? by the action of Beatrix Lehman who brings ? a nervous energy and a smouldering passion (rarely?) seen on the west end stage.

Daily Worker, Nov 8, 1943
The world greets its soviet comrades-in-arms
Crowds throng London theatre to celebrate
Prof. Mikhoels’ speech was given in English by one of our national stage figures, Miss Beatrix Lehmann

Daily Worker, Dec 18 1943, 28 30, 31
Daily worker 14th anniversary celebrations, Stoll Theatre, Jan 2nd 3pm
Phil Cardew’s orchestra
Arthur Honrer, William Rust
Professor Haldane Beatrix Lehmann
Dean of Canterbury, Ted Brmaley

Daily Worker – Dec 21 1943, 24
Photo – BL famous actress and member of the editorial board of the daily worker will be among the speakers at the Daily Wokers 14th anniversary celebrations at the Stoli theatre on Sunday January 2nd.

Daily worker –  Dec 31 1943, Jan 02 1944, 3, 4, 6 7 12, 13, 24, 31, Feb 7th, 8, 10, 19, March 2, 4, 6, 9 11, 16, 17, 21, 31, April 6, 10, 12, 17, 18, 19, 25, 26, May 2, 3, 10, 12, 18, 19. 22. .23. June 7, 10, 20 ,26, 27, 30 July 3, 4. 6. 7. 10, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21,
BL listed as on editorial board.

Daily Worker Jan 1 1944
Statement from the editorial board on future of the paper.

Daily Express March 27 1944 28, 29, 30, April 1, 3, 4,
Garrick – Uncle Harry – ad

Sunday Express April 2 1944
Uncle Harry – review
Uncle Harry at the Garrick is a cleverly conceived, plausible domestic thriller about a man driven to murder by sister-love claustrophobia. It’s grim, devoid of uplift, but never harrowing because so finely acted by Michael Redgrave, Beatrix Lehmann, Ena Burrill, Racheal Kempon and company.
There is no better drama and no better acting in London

Daily Worker – April 3 1944
Uncle Harry review
What makes this show outstanding is a fine quality in the production, and more particularly in the acting, which has not been surpassed in London for a long time. Now good acting is to parphrase, Edicoson….
Real mastery of a part imposes on an actor the necessity for the study of an immense mass of detail, from which be must sleect that which is most significant..
The play scintillates with craftsmanship. Michael Redgrave as the young man and Beatrix Lehmann as Letty, his sister, giver performances which are beautifully sustained, seemingly effortless, and rich as rare tapestry significant in detail. This is the kind of acting which does credit to the British theatre and the high level set by the two principles is maintained … by the rest of the company.

Daily Worker July 24 1944
 Profits come first but actors want to carry on – article by Beatrix
Article about theatres closing due to bombardment but actors want to keep going

Daily worker July 31 1944
“But as BL pointed out on this page last week, it was falling profits, not the flying bombs, that killed most of the shows.”

Daily worker Aug 01 1944 5, 9, 23, 28, 30, Oct 4, 7, 10, 20 ,23, 25, 31, Nov 21. Dec 4, 5, 18, 20, 22,
BL listed as on editorial board.

Daily Express Sept 8 1944
And now the footlights go up again, 34 west end theatres were open when the flying bombs started in June. They fell to 11 when the attack was at its hight and many shows had gone on tour. Now the wanderers are returning.
The revival of recent plays started last night when Uncle Harry a brilliant Edwardian thriller returned from tour to the Garrick with Michael Redgrave and Beatrix Lehmann as the stars.

Daily Worker 15th anniversary celebration 12 29, 30, Jan 2nd Jan 3,  Jan 4th, 5th, 6th
Stoll Theatre Kindsway Jan 7 at 3p,
A.F. Papworth chairman
Prof JBS Haldane
Willaim Rust Ediotr
Beatrix Lehmann
Dean of Canterbury
Ted Bramley
Phil Cardew’s Orchestra.

Daily Worker 12 29 1944
Daily Wokers 15th birthday celebrations Beatrix Lehmann will give a dramatic monologue on the growth of the paper..


Daily Express Jan 02 1945
Beatrix Lehmann is ill!
Miss Beatrix Lehmann who for eight months has played opposite Michael Redgrave in Uncle Harry at the Garrick W is in a nursing home and may need an operation. She is reported “comfortable”.
Her part was played last night by her understudy, Miss Eve Mortimer.
(perhaps another reason took to producing rather than acting after this)

Daily Worker,
Jan 02 1945
Beatrix Lehmann ill
Miss Beatrix Lehmann who for eight months has been playing lead with Michael Redgrave in Uncle Harry was taken ill on Sunday night.
It was reported last night that Miss Lehmann who is a member of the Daily Worker editorial board may have to undergo an operation.

Daily Worker, Jan 03 1945 , 9th, 12th, 16th,
BL listed as on editorial board.

Daily Expres Jan 4 1945
Actress has relapse
Beatrix Lehmann who was appearing in Uncle Harry at the Garrick Theatre London until she was taken to a nursing home on Sunday, last night had a slight relapse after an earlier improvement.

Daily Worker Jan 4th 1945
Beatrix Lehmann has relapse
MBL who was appearing in Uncle Harry at the Garrick theatre until her removal to a nursing home on Sunday, was last night stated to have had a slight relapse. Earlier an improvement in her condition had been reported.

Daily Worker, Jan 6 1945
Beatrix Lehmann
Miss Beatrix Lehmann who was appearing in Uncle Harry at the Garrick theatre until her removal to a nursing home on Sunday was last night stated to have had a successful operation and her condition is satisfactory.

Daily worker Jan 9
Beatrix Lehmann
Miss Beatrix Lehmann was stated last night to be progressing favourably following her recent operation

Daily Worker – Jan 19th 1945
Statement by Beatrix
Appreciation
I deeply appreciate the good wishes sent by comrades at the Stoll meeting, the many kind inquires helped a lot and kept me in touch.
I am now quite out of pain and after a few weeks in the country will be back in London again
Beatrix Lehmann

Daily worker Jan 24 1945
Miss Beatrix Lehmann has recovered and left the nursing home where she recently underwent an operation

Daily worker Jan 29 1945 Feb 6, 22 28, Mar 1, 27, 28, April 2, 7 9, May 3, 19, 25
BL listed as on editorial board.

Daily Express March 1945 20 21
Heart of oak for the navy previewed with BL

Daily Expres April 4 1945
Heart of oak review, Among them BL

Daily Worker May 14 1945
Presents report to the editorial board – photo of BL

Daily Mirror May 30 1945
Actors TU Chief
Beatrix Lehmann was yesterday elected president of the British actors equity association – the actors trade union

Daily Worker
May 30 1945
Beatrix Lehmann New Equity Head
Miss Beatrix Lehmann was yesterday elected president of the British Actors’ equity association- the actors trade union
Miss Lehmann has been actively associated with progressive causes for many years and is a member of the editorial board of the daily worker.

Daily worker
May 30 1045 (different ed)
Beatrix Lehman New equity head
1 para same
Miss Lehman has appeared in many of London’s most successful plays.
It was she who interpreted the plays of Eugene oneil to the English audiences and she has been described as the most intense and in some ways most talented of our younger actresses.
2nd para same


Daily worker May 31 1945, June 6, 27, July 7, 20, 26, 27, Aug 6, Sept 7, 21, Oct 2, 22 Nov 17 Dec 4th 11 27
BL listed as on editorial board.

Daily worker July 13 1945 – BL in the trail of Lizzie Borden radio

Daily Mirror July 25 1945
Trail of Lizzie Borden – radio –reviw
BL … and the rest of the English company coneyed the American atmosphere very suucessfully. It was a radio triumph.

Daily worker Oct 1, 1945
PHOTO MBL with a junior mrs mop one of the young contestants in a fancy dress parade at the children party. ML judged the dresses and presented the prizes

Daily express 13 31 1945
Women
Beatrix Lehmann guest at a cosmetic firm’s luncheon hadn’t a scrap of make up on her face.

Daily Express Feb 13 1951
Radio – A man of god

Church times
Dec 28 1951
The Day’s mischief review. “in his sister, played brilliantly by MBL, he has a hand that influence of a warped and evil mind…”
]

Wednesday, 17 December 2014

Henrietta Bingham

In Rosamond's archives are letters to Henrietta Bingham dated
24 Aug. 1932-Dec. 1932, according to the LGBT archive Henrietta had a previous relationship with Dora Carrington and the two became lovers in 1923.

Friday, 12 December 2014

Portrait of a Lady (1968) BBC

Last night we finished watching the 1968 version of Portrait of a lady with Beatrix and Richard Chamberlain. I'm not normally a fan of that Mr James but I thoroughly enjoyed this! So much about women's rights and independence and wit and ability to make the wrong choices. Bea was wonderful as the eccentric rich aunt. I even didn't mind her fake American accent, I suppose having an American mother helped but it was subtle and not over done. Likewise I've never been much of a fan of Mr Chamberlain but he was lovely as the effeminate dying cousin. I adored his scenes with Bea, I like to think that as a young closeted actor and her being bi with a very famously gay brother the two got on remarkably well. The two women playing the young women were also really good. Very much one of those BBC dramas where people sit and talk in rooms but then I always love those.

Thursday, 11 December 2014

Stage Plays in chronological order


The Mollusc 1923
The way of the world 1924 (maid character)
The Duenna 1924-25 (musical)
The Green Hat 1925 *
Scotch Mist 1926
They knew what they wanted 1926
It is expedient 1926 (1 performance not at BL)
An American tragedy 1927 (2 performance not at BL)
The Adding Machine 1928
Twenty Below 1928*
Nju 1928 (not at BL copy on amazon)
Thunder on the left 1928  (4 perfromances not at BL)
The Adding machine (the court theatre with Olivier) 1928
Byron 1929 (not at BL or on amazon)
Ile 1929 (O'neill play 1 performance but at BL)
Hoopla 1929
The race with the shadow 1929 (not at the BL copy at senate house)
All God’s Chillun 1929 *
In the end of the trial 1929 
The Silver Tassie 1929
Gone to Earth 1930
So fair a Satrap (laodice and danae) Lyric Hammersmith 28/3/30 
Salome 1931 (Festival Theatre Cambridge)* 
Late night final (Five star final) 1931
On the Spot 1931 (Nottingham, Leeds) by Wallace at the BL to read
8 March 1932 the Adolescents (Krankheit der jugend - the Gate)
(32 in Berlin writing with Christopher Isherwood) 
Wild Decembers 1933
The Wandering Jew 1933  (The Wandering Jew : a play in four phases / E. Temple Thurston at BL.)
The Tudor Wench 1933 
Success story 1934
The Master Builder 1934 
Eden End 1934 *
Eden End Sept 1934-Jan 1935 *
Pleasant portion 1935 (Not at BL possibly only radio)
Various heavens 1936
Charlotte Corday 1936 (check for author)
The Witch of Edmonton 1936 *
First night 1937 (by Sheila Donsithorpe not at BL or on Amazon)
Up the garden path 1937 (by Ireland Wood not at the BL or amazon)
Mourning Becomes Electra 1937 * 
No more music 1938 
La Voix Humaine – The human voice 1938 *
They walk alone 1938 *
Storm over Santa Cruz 1939 (not at the BL or amazon)
Desire under the Elms 1940 * 
Close quarters Apr 1940-Aug 1941 *
Jam To-day 1942
Ghosts 1943 *
Uncle Harry 1944 *
Vicious Circle 1946 *
On the way 1946 (by Helge Krog at the BL)
Fatal Curiosity 1946 (by George Lillo out of copyright at BL)
The Rising sun 1946 (producer) (by Herman Heijermans at the BL)
Stratford Festival Romeo and Juliet 1947*
Stratford Festival Measure for Measure 1947
Stratford Festival Twelfth night 1947 * 
Stratford Festival Merchant of Venice 1947 * 
Twelfth Night 1947 *
No Trees in the Street 1948 (play not available but novel and film are)
Damascus blade 1950 (by  Mary Boland not at BL or amazon)
The Lady with the lamp 1950 (by Reginald Berkeley at the BL)
Pericles 1951,
Thunder Rock 1951 (by Robert Ardrey at BL)
Ghosts 1951 * 
The day’s mischief 1951 
The Father 1953 *
Lazarus 1953 
No sign of the dove 1953
Blood wedding 1954
The Waltz of the toreadors 1956 *
The birthday Party 1958 * 
Garden district 1958 (Suddenly last summer and Something Unspoken) *
Macbeth 1958 * 
The Aspern Papers 1959-1960
Mother Courage 1961 (Brecht at the BL)
A cuckoo in the nest. 1964 (on order from amazon)
The Storm 1966 (Lessings translation seems to be missing)

Hecuba 1967 *
The night I chased the women with an eel 1969 (alas seems unavailable)
Reunion in Vienna 1971
Mother Adam 1971
The Island of the Mighty 1972 
Romeo and Juliet 1973 *     
Family Reunion 1979 (elliot available)
  

No sign of the dove

Despite great reviews at the time in Leeds Peter Ustinov's obit says this about the play,

Several other plays of this period failed to take fire. The Man in the Raincoat (Edinburgh Festival, 1949) concerned a miscarriage of justice. The Moment of Truth (Adelphi, 1951) was a political drama set in Vichy France, with Marshal Pétain as a doddering old ruin reminiscent of King Lear.
High Balcony (Embassy Theatre, 1952), which portrayed the reaction of a German embassy to victory and defeat, gave Donald Pleasence an early opportunity as a villainous Nazi. No Sign of the Dove (Savoy, 1953) was a reworking of the Noah legend, pregnant with foreboding about the future of England; it was roundly booed by a claque.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1458039/Sir-Peter-Ustinov.html



However, the Riverside Dictionary of Biography (US publishers)
For Beatrix's biography includes:
“She first appeared on the stage in 1924 at the Lyric, Hammersmith, and subsequently appeared in many successful plays, including Family Reunion, Peter Ustinov’s No sign of the Dove and Waltz of the Toreadors.”
Which is a totally different list of "famous" plays than normal.

Plays and references from local newspapers on the British newspaper Archive 1946-1953



Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 08 March 1946
The Round table – arts council production by BL

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 15 March 1946
Round table – preview 

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 22 March 1946
Round table ad

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 29 March 1946
A play produced by Beatrix Lehmann at the Town Hall for three nights each month is a great joy… Photo of Bea with the Mayor and mayoress and Regional director and assistance regional director – more details about Arts Council work.
 
Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 12 April 1946
Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 19 April 1946
Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 26 April 1946
Ad for Town Hall, return visit of the Arts Council Midland Theatre company performing The rising Sun by Herman Jeijermans produced by Beatrix Lehmann
Perfomance April 29, 30th and May 1st booking openings April 15th

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 03 May 1946
Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 10 May 1946
Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 10 May 1946
Ad for Arts Council Midlands production of The Anatomist by James Bridie on May 23, 24th and 25th

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 24 May 1946
Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 31 May 1946
Ad for Arts Council Midlands production of The Maitlands by Ronald Mackenzie produced by BL AND Michael Langham, June 11-13th

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 24 May 1946
Arts Council Midlands  Anatomist – review
“Those responsible for the Arts Council Midlands selection of plays certainly believe in the power of terror, if not of pity… (Did Bea choose the plays? Could check Arts Council Midlands notes?)…
“once again the team work of the company is excellent and reflects great credit upon the producer BL. The subtle effect of varying speeds adds greatly to the life and vigor of the performance, and there is a confidence and a certainty about the interpretation of the whole play which is most impressive.

Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Saturday 15 June 1946
Candles at nine ad.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 27 June 1946
BBC home service – “The walls are down” will celebrate the foundation of the Retreat at York… one hundred and fifty years ago a group of humane philanthropists set out to ameliorate the unhappy lot of patients in mental homes. They founded the Retreat, where for the first time the insane were treated as sick human beings and not, with chains and brutal punishments, like mad dogs. The patients’ response was immediate, and the new treatment made medical history. Mr Edward Livesey, who has written the programme, spent three

Lancashire Evening Post - Saturday 29 June 1946
The walls are down – report  “Beatrix Lehmann as a woman doctor, heads the cast”.

Western Morning News - Saturday 20 July 1946
Vicious circle – preview “Miss Beatrix Lehmann BAD and AG brilliantly portray the unsavoury trio whose atonement consists of being very quarrelsome, falling in love and talking to, of at each other. This play makes arresting if somewhat unpleasant entertainment.”

Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 20 July 1946
Candles at nine showing

Western Morning News - Tuesday 10 December 1946
Arts theatre club – Fatal curiosity
“is a bloodthirsty play written about 150 years ago. A young man returns to his home after making his fortune abroad, and to play a joke on his parents (now destitute) he does not reveal his identity. They, on the point of starvation, murder him for the casket of jewels he has handed to his mother for safe keeping.
It has some good theatrical moments, but unfortunately Miss Beatrix Lehmann’s production is a burlesque. It may be fun to those who are amused by a stage littered with corpses.  The play is being shown in a double programme with Christopher Fry’s witty trifle, “a phoenix too frequent.”

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 10 January 1947
Shakespeare festival
“The two principal artistes will be BL who will play the Nurse, Porita, and Robert Harris…

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 14 March 1947
Shakespeare festival, “the company of 50, headed by BL, Robert Harris, Walter Hudd and Paul Scofield rehearse morning and night in foyers and on stage… The season opens April 5th with Romeo and Juliet.

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 21 March 1947
Shakespeare festival – ad

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 21 March 1947
Shakespeare festival – “BL one of Britain’s finest actresses, was secured for the nurse”.

Cheltenham Chronicle - Saturday 22 March 1947
Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 04 April 1947
Cheltenham Chronicle - Saturday 05 April 1947
Shakespeare festival – ad

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 11 April 1947
Shakespeare festival opens with Romeo and Juliet – review
“As the nurse – a younger and more vigorous nurse than usual – Beatrix Lehmann also scored a triumph, with none of the monotony which mars many a performance in this part.”

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 18 April 1947
Shakespeare festival  festival ad

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 18 April 1947
Shakespeare festival 12th night review/preview
12th night will form the climax … will be attended by ambassadors, ministers and other representatives of more than 30 nations who are visiting Stratford to take part in the day’s celebrations…
Tempest May 9th, King Richard II, June 13th, Merchant of Venice July 11th, Pericles August 15th

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 25 April 1947
Shakespeare festival 12th night review
“Beatrix Lehmann’s viola is a most interesting piece of work, lacking some of the grace of the Viola of one’s dreams, but with genuine tenderness and understanding. She is an older Viola than usual but her deep voice “pairs” better with Sebastian’s than does the more familiar soprano, and makes one feel that the inhabitants of Illyria were not quite deaf after all…”

Western Morning News - Saturday 10 May 1947
Actor’s equity article, when Beatrix Lehmann was president – important campaigning.
“equity seeks 100 percent membership” annual meeting was 9 May 1947 “Miss Beatrix Lehmann in her presidential address, said people who went into the profession would have to be properly trained. “The state,” she said, “must continue its relationship towards us that was so strong during the war. The managers must also help us in this task, which will be to their good and to their advantage”.

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 06 June 1947
Shakespeare festival Richard II – preview 

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 20 June 1947
Shakespeare festival Richard II review
“In the Duchess Miss Beatrix Lehmann had a role which fitted her to perfection….”

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 18 July 1947
Shakespeare festival Merchant of Venice review
“as Portia Beatrix Lehmann plays her most important role this season, and it is certainly her best. If she fails to charm us by her feminine wiles, she gains our admiration for the tremendous power which she gives to the trial scene. I would much prefer to see a deeply intelligent interpretation of Portia such as Miss Lehmann gives than one which allures…”

Western Morning News - Saturday 04 October 1947
Shakespeare festival Richard II, - review of Stratford upcoming London productions

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 16 January 1948
Stratford Poison pen by Richard Llewellyn.
“Beatrix Lehmann leading actress of the 1947 Shakespeare festival, will return to Stratford to play the terrifying role of the crazed writer of anonymous letters in Richard Llewellyn’s play, Poison pen, which Oldham Repertory Company will present at the memorial theatre for the week commencing Feb 9th.”

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 06 February 1948
Poison pen ad 

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 06 February 1948
Poison pen – preview/review , “she takes the part of Phryne, the neurotic sister of a vicar, in whose parish she creates havoc and tragedy by anonymous letter writing. The play abounds with suspense which is relieved by intensely human and amusing character studies.”

Leamington Spa Courier - Friday 20 February 1948
Beatrix Lehmann at Westham House
Leaders of Warwickshire Youth Clubs attended a most interesting drama court at Westham House, Barford, during the weekend when leading figures of the Stratford Memorial Theatre gave generous help and advice on production and stage management.
On Saturday afternoon the party attended the matinee of Poison Pen in which Miss Lehmann took the leading part. The next morning, immediately after breakfast, Miss Lehmann was at Westham. After an introductory talk on the development of dramatic gesture and diction, Miss Lehmann personally conducted a model rehearsal of a scene from Romeo and Juliet.

Western Morning News - Monday 10 May 1948
Cruelty cases in pantomime – equity charges…
The president, MBL told them, “The theatre is a public institution. We do not have to apologize for the creative, thoughtful side of the theatre –calling it entertainment- because the larger public is supposed to fear thought in their leisure hours”. 

Western Daily Press - Monday 05 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Tuesday 06 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Wednesday 07 July 1948
Bristol – Theatre Royal – No trees in the street – ad

Western Daily Press - Wednesday 07 July 1948
PHOTO No trees in the street preview

Western Daily Press - Thursday 08 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Friday 09 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Saturday 10 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Tuesday 13 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Wednesday 14 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Thursday 15 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Friday 16 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Saturday 17 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Monday 19 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Tuesday 20 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Wednesday 21 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Thursday 22 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Friday 23 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Saturday 24 July 1948
Western Daily Press - Monday 26 July 1948
Theatre Royal (Bristol) The British Group present Beatrix Lehmann in the brilliant play success No trees in the street by Ted Willis.
For two weeks, nightly at 2, Mat wed and sat – ad
Western Daily Press - Tuesday 13 July 1948

Theatre Royal – Bristol No  trees in the street – review
“low tragedy of ignoble minds overthrown by piercing is squalid  and enormously effective...the subject matter is distasteful to many, but the play is about something of current importance, the generation of vicious young criminals – and the author does not set out primarily to shock,,, BL faithfully avoided the remotest hint of a demanding feature, and almost made us believe in the mother who sells her daughter for £20, while John Stratton as the 18 year old murderer was uncomfortably convincing…

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Wednesday 28 July 1948
No trees in the street – St James’ theatre – London
“Yorkshire actor’s success
A critical London audience this evening warmly confirmed at St James Theatre the friendly verdict of provincial theatre-goes, already refered to in these notes, on Mr. Ted Willis’s crime drama, “no trees in the street”. Mr. John Stratton, the young Yorkshire actor whose career I described last week, gave a vivid performance as an 18 year old slum boy who, as the victim of bad companions and environment, develops quickly into a gunman and murderer.
It is Mr Stratton’s first West End appearance, and he told me later that despite the play’s success on tour, he suffered badly from first night nerves before the curtain rose tonight. MBL as the youth’s too-bad-to-be-true mother, was as terrifying as was Miss Freda Jackson as the slatternly virago in No room at the inn.

Western Morning News - Thursday 29 July 1948
No Trees in the street – st james theatre – review
“Rather naïve… the story tries to show how life there produces crooks and killers. East enders will probably be annoyed at the picture portrayed, but despite its over theatricality, the play has many good points. John Stratton and Charmian Eyre played their parts well, but Beatrix Lehmann disappointed. (First bad review)

Hull Daily Mail - Monday 04 April 1949
Hull – New theatre (new play?) ad next week  BL in The corn is green

Hull Daily Mail - Friday 08 April 1949
Actresses Jubilee
The corn is green – preview
“The appearance of Miss Beatrix Lehmann in next week’s production of The corn is green at the New Theatre Hull, marks the silver jubilee of her acting career. In Emlyn Williams’ noted play she takes the part of Miss Moffat, the woman who overcomes all obstacles to bring enlightenment to the young people of a remote Welsh village. Opposite ML is John Stratton (who was in No trees with BL) a young actor who is making a rapid rise to fame.

Hull Daily Mail - Saturday 09 April 1949
Hull Daily Mail - Monday 11 April 1949
Hull Daily Mail - Wednesday 13 April 1949
New Theatre Hull, The corn is green “all next week, Haymarket Guild Theatre presents BL in The play that ran for 600 performances in London. – ad

Hull Daily Mail - Tuesday 12 April 1949
PHOTO! The corn is green – review
Play of Welsh village life rings true
EW’s strength is his simplicitgy and artistic handling of dramatic suspense. This was apparent in the revival of The corn is green, … the human relationship which is built up as the play progresses, is alive with generosity, exasperation, sympathy, sacrifice, wit… As the idealist spinster (!) who stakes everything on her private pupl, BL is the pivot of the play. Her delicate and depp-rooted acting achieves the ultimate dramtic reality; she embodies the whole truth and the purpose the dramatist’s message… her interpretation of the part of Bessie Watty was thoroughly sound…

Western Daily Press - Monday 09 May 1949
Radio – BL and Walter Rilla in the Compelled people 9.15-10.45

Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald - Saturday 11 March 1950
Two well known film personalities will be seen shortly on the London stage. John Mills returns to the London theatre after a 5 year abscene to star with Beatrix Lehmann in The Damascas Blade, the other actor John McCallum, appears in april in a new play Dangerous legacy,

Western Daily Press - Monday 20 March 1950
Damascus blade – Bristol
John Mills is coming to Bristol next week in a new play by Briget Boland, author of the Cockpit. It is called the Damascus Blade and is at the Hippodrome for a week. The play opened in Newcastle last week and is touring before going to London. BL, Austin Trevor, Barry Jones, Peter Finch and Mary Mackenzie are in the cast… (No longer considered a draw?)

Western Daily Press - Saturday 25 March 1950
Western Daily Press - Monday 27 March 1950
Western Daily Press - Tuesday 28 March 1950
Western Daily Press - Wednesday 29 March 1950
Western Daily Press - Thursday 30 March 1950
Western Daily Press - Saturday 01 April 1950
Bristol Hippodrome – The Damascus blade
Laurence Olivier presents John Mills in the Damascus blade by Bridget Boland with BL;,,,”  - ad
(First time BL hasn’t gotten top billing in a tour of the provinces in years)

Nottingham Evening Post - Tuesday 27 June 1950
Radio – Third programme – Beatrix Lehmann in Ariadne 8.35-10.35

Nottingham Evening Post - Friday 30 June 1950
Radio – Third programme – Beatrix Lehmann in Ariadne 6.20-8.30

Gloucester Citizen - Saturday 15 July 1950
Western Daily Press - Saturday 15 July 1950
Radio – Third programme – Beatrix Lehmann in Ariadne 6.55-8.35

Western Morning News - Wednesday 06 December 1950
Children’s theatre
One of the genuine pleasures of London’s theatre land are the regular perfomances which the LCC promote to quicken the interest of secondary school children in the serious works of the stage….
The players were a distinguished cast of 35 professional actors and actresses, led by BL and the audience an enthusiastic gathering of several hundred school children. Reginald Berkeley’s chronicle play, The lady with the lamp, based on the life of Florence Nightingale was an admirable choice, produced and interpreted with a fine understanding.

Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette - Monday 28 May 1951
The Taverner’s all amateur group with BL as one of their patrons.

Sussex Agricultural Express - Friday 30 November 1951
Brighton Theatre Royal
Ian Hunter, Walter Fitzgerald, Catherine Lacey, Beatrix Lehmann in The Day’s mischief a new play by Leslie Storm (4th!!!)

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Wednesday 12 December 1951
Duke of York Theatre – The Day’s mischief -review
How rarely we feel in the theatre that given a certain set of circumstances their inevitable result would be as the dramatist suggests.. Lesley Storm, whose capacity for drawing oddly inhibited women amounts almost to genius, offers in The day’s mischief, an uncommonly realistic drama of small town life. The local journalists’s daughter has a crush on her school master. Essentially it is a harmless enough business on both sides but the outcome is stark tragedy. The foolish girl runs away..The suspiciou of murder grows… and the poor woman kills herself.
Though one or two scenes are a little long drawn, characterization and dialogue are gripping. The play,moreover is finely acted by Ian Hunter, BL,…

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 16 December 1952
The Mexican film BL did the dubbing for reviewed (the devil is a woman)

Yorkshire Evening Post - Saturday 03 October 1953
Peter Ustinov’s No Sign of the Dove Grand Theatre – Leeds opening October 19
The play is directed by the author and stars BL (first again!) Raymond Huntley, Miles Malleson and Robin Bailey. Alvys Maben has an important role as Robin Bailey’s wife.
Peter Ustinov says, The theme is serious, and the characters comic. They are people for whom life is but an imitation of thought and art; people so accustomed to the stratosphere of refined prattle, and so blinkered by the confines of their peculiar intellects, that a breath of good, honest air is liable to knock them senseless.
These fragile and pretentious people I have confronted with the anger of nature in its most far reaching form”.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 06 October 1953
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Wednesday 07 October 1953
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 08 October 1953
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Friday 09 October 1953
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 10 October 1953
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 13 October 1953
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 15 October 1953
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Friday 16 October 1953
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 17 October 1953
Grand Theatre Leeds - Peter Ustinov’s new play, No Sign of the dove staring Beatrix Lehmann, Raymond Huntley, Miless Malleson – ad

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 20 October 1953
Grand Theatre Leeds – No sign of the dove – review
Mr Ustinov has cause to be proud.
“profound, rousing and brilliantly funny… it is a continuously witty play, often a sparkling uproar of a play, something of a comedy of manners, almost a bedroom farce at times, occasionally a sober discussion… it is consistently a play of intelligence, of keen and probing satire, of sense and sensivitivy. In all this high and magnificent comedy there are BL and Raymond Huntley to shudder deliciously and be shocked by life… a distinguished play with a distinguished cast…

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 20 October 1953
Grand Theatre Leeds – No sign of the dove – review
PHOTO – “The author.. reading a message of congratulation after the first production, at Leeds Grand Theatre last night, of No sign of the dove. With him are some of the cast…

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Wednesday 21 October 1953
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 22 October 1953
  Grand theatre Leeds, No sign of the dove – ad
A world premier, BL, Raymond Huntley, Miles Malleson in Peter Ustinov’s No sign of the dove…
 Bucks Herald - Friday 13 November 1953
New Theatre Oxford production of No sign of the dove

(online digitised papers end 1953!0

Plays and references from local newspapers on the British newspaper Archive 1941-1945



Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Friday 17 January 1941
People’s convention – politics report

Nottingham Evening Post - Tuesday 04 March 1941(check date on Times)
Derby Daily Telegraph - Tuesday 04 March 1941
Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette - Tuesday 04 March 1941
People’s convention and the BBC ban, mentions Michael Redgrave who Beatrix Lehmann acts with in 1944 and 1958 as well as "Miss Beatrix Lehmann the actress…"

Yorkshire Evening Post - Wednesday 05 March 1941
People’s convention BBC’s descision not to employ anyone who doesn’t support the war

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Wednesday 05 March 1941
Fighting the ban
Dundee Courier - Monday 17 March 1941
People’s convention – Delegates attended a convention in London in support of the programme for a “people’s government” after the war.
A thousand word resolution, moved by Miss Beatrix Lehmann the actress, pledged delegates to lose no time in carrying the convention’s message to all people in or out of uniform.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 06 May 1941
Leeds production of Close quarters – announcement and description.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Friday 09 May 1941
Close quarters – ad “Next week the greatest play of the age, Close quarters, the sensation from the Haymarket Theatre. With only two characters starring Beatrix Lehmann and Karel Stepanek.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 10 May 1941
Close quarters- preview.
Close quarters the play in which they appear, has strong dramatic interest and is not lacking in thrills. ML’s last appearance in Leeds was in Desire under the Elms, in the early days of the war, in which she gave an excellent performance. Karel Stepanek is a Czech actor, who has made a name for himself in the West End. He escaped from Germany in 1939.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Monday 12 May 1941
Close quarters – ad
See the greatest play of all times, Close quarters with BL and KS This play held audiences spellbound at the Haymarket Theatre London, for over two years and shortly returns to the St. Martin’s theatre London. See how these two great artists can enthral an audience for over two hours.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 13 May 1941
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 15 May 1941
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 17 May 1941
Close quarters smaller ad

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Wednesday 14 May 1941
Close quarters – Leeds review
But this is no mere thriller. As a tremendous piece of technical virtuosity, shutting out the whole world except for those two, it gives to Beatrix Lehmann a rare chance to show us the sources of her fame. But even that is not all.
It deals in the authentic pity and terror of human life. … as of BL all the can sensibly be said is that they are real, that they create for us the whole of that excluded world with its menace closing in. Only in retrospect can you assess the quality of Miss Lehmann’s acting, recall her deliberate awkwardness (only Hollywood women are elegant come what may), the way at the play’s climax she flinches from the sight of her husband’s tortured face, the way she tries to touch his hand. It is fine acting ….

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Monday 09 June 1941
New Theatre Hull – ad for Close Quarters

Hull Daily Mail - Saturday 14 June 1941
Preview – Close Quarters Hull
“should attract all the theatre-going public of Hull with its two brilliant lights of the theatrical firmament – BL and KS. The play itself is adapted from the French, Attentat by Somin and had a spectacular run at the Haymarket, London when it was first produced.
KS is the celebrated Czech stage and screen star who made headlines with his dramatic escape from Nazi Germany in 1939 (check for that) while BL is equally famous and remembered for her brilliant characterisations in She Walks Alone and Desire under the Elms, the latter play in which she came to Hull for the first time some 12 months ago.

Hull Daily Mail - Tuesday 17 June 1941
 Hull theatre – "Famous stars in unusual play" Close quarters –review
Beatrix Lehmann and Karel Stepanek are not merely acting Liesa and Gustav they are these two people, frantically in love with each other, and caught up in a net of political intrigue.
Between them they sustain one magnificent performance so that from the first moment the audience is caught up into the tension and not released until that final curtain, which is a theatrical masterpiece of irony. Symbolic of the times, Stepanek voices the thought of the masses when he cries out the anguish of his soul, “Oh god have you no power against the evil of the earth”.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 17 June 1941
New Theatre Hull review of Close Quarters
The large audience at the New Theater, Hull last night were warmly appreciative of the acting of BL and KS in close quarters… as sustained dramatic acting it was a notable performance; as a presentation marked throughout by sympathy and complete understanding it was an outstanding achievement. BL mirrored the moods of the wife of a political agitator to ensure who advancement, as she hoped and expected, she made many sacrifices.
KS who escaped from Germany in 1939 has probably not been seen to greater advantage on stage or screen than in this moving play.

Kent & Sussex Courier - Friday 20 June 1941
Next week close quarters

Kent & Sussex Courier - Friday 20 June 1941
Assembly Hall theatre, Tunbridge Wells
Commencing June 24th Close Quarters ad.
Tues, wed, Thurs, sat at 3 – matinee
Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat at 7 0 evenings [wow twice a day!]

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Friday 20 June 1941
June 16th for 6 nights at New Theatre Hull – Close quarters

Kent & Sussex Courier - Friday 27 June 1941
Close quarters at Tunbridge Wells – review
The attraction at the Assembly Hall this week met with a rousing reception when it opened on Tuesday. Many people described it as being the finest play ever performed in the Hall, and there were manifold tributes to the acting of Miss Beatrix Lehmann and Karel S. The play is unusual in that there are only two characters… There was certainly no hint of monotony in Tuesday’s evening’s performance, for Miss Lehmann and Mr S held one’s attention from beginning to end…. In this part Miss Lehmann contributes some of the finest emotional acting yet seen in the theatre. MS’s acting too is on a part with that of Miss Lehmann in his role…

Western Daily Press - Saturday 12 July 1941
Ad for Close quarters at Theatre Royal Bath
Daily sketch says, fine acting, tense drama, lively humour, brilliantly performed.
(followed by Dame Sybil Thorndike next week)
Performed Mon-fri 7.30 wed 2.30, 5.50 and 8.15 sat

Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Saturday 12 July 1941
Western Daily Press - Saturday 12 July 1941
Ad for Close quarters at Theatre Royal Bath

Western Daily Press - Wednesday 16 July 1941
Review –Close quarters Bath
Beatrix Lehmann and KS played in the interesting two character thriller Close quarters at the Theatre Royal Bath. The play was capitally presented and held a very large audience spellbound. There will be two performances Saturday.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 19 July 1941
Close quarters will play Prince’s Theatre Bradford

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 22 July 1941
Prince’s Theatre Bradford Close quarters  production – review
More than ordinary skill and ingenuity are shown in Close quarters which is at the PT, B this week before production in London. … Somin’s play is dramatically intense and the ability of Miss Beatrix Lehmann and MKS the only two players – is such that they hold the attention of the audience throughouth. The play makes great demands upon their artistic insight but their concentration never flags and they avoid the danger of overdoing the dramatic. As a result they achieve an outstanding success in a performance which will be remembered for a long time by those who see it. …

Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Saturday 13 December 1941
Liliput – Dec 41 issue – has Beatrix Lehmann and Rene Ray as subject of photographs/charcitures. 

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 21 February 1942
Jam to-day review
London theatre-goers had a real first night last evening when Jam To-day a light comedy with sparkling dialogue was presented at St Martin’s Theatre. Practically ever West End production since war began has had a preliminary try-out elsewhere. This play had been performed only once before an audience and that was a dress rehersal.
The authors, Waldock and Burford have given some amusingly unusual turns to the not unfamiliar stage story of the elderly and slightly pompous husband whose wife goess of the rails in his absence.
BL who everyone associates with dramatic and even frightening parts, gives a brilliant performance. …

Edinburgh Evening News - Tuesday 17 March 1942
The Mayfair Touch communist party reception
The communist party are holding a reception at one of the most exclusive restaurants in Mayfair on Thursday, the occasion is the launching of a 40,000 victory fund. I am told that among those who have accepted invitations are the Dean of Canturybury… MBL the actress.. hundreds of invitations have been issues.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 16 February 1943
Grand Theatre Leeds – Uncle Harry with BL and Eric Portman (different male lead and listed first)
Lancashire Evening Post - Tuesday 16 February 1943
Next week uncle harry

Lancashire Evening Post - Tuesday 16 February 1943
Blackpool – Grand Theatre Uncle Harry

Yorkshire Evening Post - Wednesday 17 February 1943
Yorkshire Evening Post - Thursday 18 February 1943
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 18 February 1943
Lancashire Evening Post - Thursday 18 February 1943
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Friday 19 February 1943
Yorkshire Evening Post - Friday 19 February 1943
Yorkshire Evening Post - Saturday 20 February 1943
Week commencing Mar 1 – Grand Theatre Leeds – UH
Lancashire Evening Post - Saturday 20 February 1943
Uncle Harry – ad
Monday Next Eric Portman, BL in Uncle Harry with Eileen Peel, Martina Hunt and Full West End Cast, prior to London presentation. (interesting)

Yorkshire Evening Post - Monday 22 February 1943
Yorkshire Evening Post - Tuesday 23 February 1943
Theatre Royal Leeds – Uncle Harry ad
Next week the two great Yorkshire and London stars of stage and screen, Eric Portman and BL in the thrilling new drama Uncle Harry.

Lancashire Evening Post - Tuesday 23 February 1943
Grand Theatre Blackpool ad for Uncle Harry
 
Yorkshire Evening Post - Wednesday 24 February 1943
Grand Theatre Leeds Uncle Harry –next week ad

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Wednesday 24 February 1943
Yorkshire Evening Post - Thursday 25 February 1943
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 25 February 1943
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Friday 26 February 1943
Yorkshire Evening Post - Saturday 27 February 1943
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 27 February 1943
Yorkshire Evening Post - Monday 01 March 1943
Leeds Uncle Harry preview Ad

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 27 February 1943
preview
Yorkshire Evening Post - Tuesday 02 March 1943
Yorkshire Evening Post - Wednesday 03 March 1943
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Wednesday 03 March 1943
Yorkshire Evening Post - Thursday 04 March 1943
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 04 March 1943
Yorkshire Evening Post - Friday 05 March 1943
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 06 March 1943
Uncle Harry Ad – playing eveings 6 matines Tuesday and Saturday

Yorkshire Evening Post - Tuesday 02 March 1943
Leeds Grand Theatre – uncle harry review
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Monday 08 March 1943
Bradford Prince’s Theatre
Uncle Harry commencing March 22nd

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 13 March 1943
Uncle Harry  Bradford preview – Continuing it’s provincial tour before production in London.. [which it didn’t actually managed but opened the following year with a different male lead]

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 16 March 1943
Bradford Prince’s review of Uncle Harry

Yorkshire Evening Post - Wednesday 17 March 1943
Bradford Prince’s ad Uncle Harry 

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 26 June 1943
Ghosts – Duke of York theatre – review
“that fine tragic actress, MBL gave a performance of restrained intensity.”

Aberdeen Journal - Wednesday 19 January 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Saturday 22 January 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Monday 24 January 1944
Week commencing Feb 1st Michael Redgrave and Beatrix Lehmann in Uncle Harry HM theatre Aberdeen

Aberdeen Journal - Tuesday 25 January 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Tuesday 25 January 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Wednesday 26 January 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Thursday 27 January 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Friday 28 January 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Saturday 29 January 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Monday 31 January 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Tuesday 01 February 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Wednesday 02 February 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Thursday 03 February 1944
Aberdeen Journal - Friday 04 February 1944
 Ad for Uncle Harry “the British thriller which startled Broadway” 

Aberdeen Journal - Wednesday 02 February 1944
Uncle Harry – His Majesty’s Theatre – review
“we have a play and we have acting.
Perhaps one is better than the other, but that is a point of view, at any rate, one leads to the other.
… apart from its thrills – the definitely exist and so does its humour – it is  study in the genre
So constructed, so it is played, at times it seems almost under played, until gradually and subtly the whole effect is achived. It has a crowning last act in acting and writing.
… The Pathos, tenseness, tragedy – achieved in little touches as well as breadth – are marvellously kept and consistent throughout.
He has his counterpart in Beatrix Lehmann’s Letty,…but in her magnificenct last act one remembered Mourning becomes Electra. Few can suggest queer tragedy like Miss Lehmann. She has a gift that stands by itself….
The audience was in great coughing form and nearly spoiled the opening for those who could not join the hoast.

Sunday Post - Sunday 06 February 1944
Uncle Harry at the Lyceum in Edinburgh – ad

Sunday Post - Sunday 13 February 1944
Uncle Harry at Royal theatre Glasgow

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 30 March 1944
Uncle Harry review – Garrick
Uncle Harry… reached the Garrick Theatre tonight after a long tour. When the play was originally seen in the north Mr. Eric Portman, himself a Yorkshireman, played the part of the schoolmaster murderer. Mr. Michael Redgrave, The present exponent, is in some difficulties with the Yorkshire accent, but gives a performance of steadily mounting nervous and emotional tension. He is sensitively supported by Miss Beatrix Lehmann as the sister on whom the murderer successfully places the blame for his crime.
The play much impressed the London first night audience, although the irregularities of the procedure in the final prison scene are a blemish on an effective study in the ironic and macabre.

Hull Daily Mail - Wednesday 12 July 1944
Hull Daily Mail - Thursday 13 July 1944
Hull Daily Mail - Friday 14 July 1944
Hull Daily Mail - Monday 17 July 1944
Hull Daily Mail - Wednesday 19 July 1944
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 20 July 1944
Hull Daily Mail - Friday 21 July 1944
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Friday 21 July 1944
New Theatre Hull Michael Redgrave and Beatrix Lehmann Uncle Harry from July 24th – ad

Hull Daily Mail - Friday 21 July 1944
Hull New Theatre – Uncle Harry – preview
Michael Redgrave, one of the leading British actors on the stage to-day pays his first visit to Hull next week in the title role of Uncle Harry, the thriller which comes to the New Theatre from a successful run at the Garrick Theatre, London…
Equally famous stage star Beatrix Lehmann remembered particularly for her outstanding portrayls in Desire under the Elms and Mourning becomes Electra works with MR next week.

Northampton Mercury - Friday 21 July 1944
New Theatre – Northampton Uncle Harry – ad “the entire production direct from the Garrick Theatre, London”. 

Hull Daily Mail - Saturday 22 July 1944
Uncle Harry, New Theatre Hull = preview – photo of Beatrix Lehamnn and Michael Redgrave
The war has brought us some of the leading lights of the west end stage and first class London productions…

Hull Daily Mail - Monday 24 July 1944
Hull Daily Mail - Tuesday 25 July 1944
Hull Daily Mail - Wednesday 26 July 1944
Hull Daily Mail - Friday 28 July 1944
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Friday 28 July 1944
New Theatre Hull – ad Uncle Harry

Hull Daily Mail - Tuesday 25 July 1944
New Theatre Hull – Uncle Harry – review
“Hull has a golden opportunity to see the best in theatre at the new this week, for the most carping critic could find no fault with the West End company which stages a gripping performance of Thomas Job’s Uncle Harry…
“nobody knows what goes on in my mind – sometimes I hardly know myself” MR is far away from his favourite Shakespearen roles, but yet not so far…
In this sadistic family of three there are two sisters, the one Beatrix Lehmann with her strange slant eyes and inscrutable smile, who brings all her art to bear to build up the complete picture of the possessive Lettie. Both she and MR present exhaustively emotional performances, exploiting the art of making up for impressive transformation…

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Wednesday 30 August 1944
Plays given in pubs with Beatrix Lehmann but mostly amateurs

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 09 September 1944
First to return to Town of the plays evacuated from London by the flying bombs was Uncle Harry, that grim and effective thriller by Thomas Job… This play came back last night to the Garrick Theatre, its former home. It was cordially received by a crowded audience.
The company, with one exception, is the same as before. All the principles are in their old parts. If London is reasonably free from serial attack several other shows which left London during the recent raids, including some of the big musicals, will be returning soon. Already about 20 west end theatres are open compared with 12 during the worst stages of the flying bomb attacks. Business during the past few days has been extraordinarily good.

Western Gazette - Friday 22 September 1944
Cinema ad for Candles at nine
(BL listed third)

Sussex Agricultural Express - Friday 10 November 1944
Performance for “the cheerios” for servicemen, Magic and music produced by Miss Winifred Ball, Included distinguished guests … Beatrix Lehmann.

Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald - Saturday 18 November 1944
Lancashire Evening Post - Monday 20 November 1944
Lancashire Evening Post - Tuesday 21 November 1944
Lancashire Evening Post - Thursday 23 November 1944
Cinema ad for Candles at nine

Kent & Sussex Courier - Friday 24 November 1944
Cinema ad for Candles at nine also showing the Rat _ Beatrix Lehmann double bill! Capitol Tunbridge Wells

Kent & Sussex Courier - Friday 24 November 1944
Candles at nine review. Is the story of a girl who inherits a fortune subject to staying at the dececased’s residence one month and how the schemeing relatives make the position intolerable for her…

Lancashire Evening Post - Friday 24 November 1944
Candles at nine ad

Western Times - Friday 15 December 1944
Oden – Devon Candles at nine

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Monday 18 December 1944
Shakespearian actors voices recorded and flown to Russia as a greeting for soviet actors. MBL, Michael Redgrave, Sybil, Giegud, Fay Compton, Henry Ainley… [ at this point I don’t think Bea has done Shakespeare on stage but will do post war]

North Devon Journal - Thursday 11 January 1945
North Devon Journal - Thursday 25 January 1945
Candles at nine ad

Bucks Herald - Friday 12 January 1945
Candles at nine ad

Burnley Express - Saturday 27 January 1945
Candles at nine ad

Nottingham Evening Post - Saturday 10 February 1945
Candles at nine – description

Gloucestershire Echo - Tuesday 27 February 1945
Letter to the editor – on “civic theatre” Club Drama Group’s production of they walk alone, “I was fortunate enough to see MBL’s portrayal of Emmy on the London stage, but I am sure ML would be the first to agree that the performance of the young lady who took this part – a Miss Tarrant I believe” did her no injustice”.

Nottingham Evening Post - Monday 05 March 1945
Nottingham Evening Post - Tuesday 06 March 1945
Nottingham Evening Post - Wednesday 07 March 1945
Nottingham Evening Post - Saturday 10 March 1945
Cinema- candles at nine ad

Hull Daily Mail - Wednesday 04 April 1945
Formation of the Green Room club in connection with the Hull new theatre, Founder members Gielgud, Lord, Air commordore, etc Olivier, Michael Redgrave, Beatrix Lehmann…

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Wednesday 04 April 1945
Also report on the Green Room Club

Dundee Courier - Monday 23 April 1945
A few enthusiastis in the political world paid five shillings for a seat in the Cambridge Theatre where Beatrix Lehmann read exceprets from Shakespeare.

Burnley Express - Saturday 26 May 1945
Candles at nine cinema ad

Nottingham Evening Post - Saturday 09 June 1945
Nottingham Evening Post - Tuesday 12 June 1945
Candles at nine cinema ad

Dundee Evening Telegraph - Wednesday 11 July 1945
*new play*
In the play, The trial of Lizzie Borden, on Monday the title part will be played by Beatrix Lehmann.

Gloucester Citizen - Wednesday 10 October 1945
Gloucester Citizen - Thursday 11 October 1945
Gloucester Citizen - Friday 12 October 1945
Candles at nine  cinema ad

Lincolnshire Echo - Tuesday 30 October 1945
Arts council BL producing The corn is green at South Park Girls School.
(Hm what has happened here? Went from HUGE successes to nothing, then producing very small role)

Lincolnshire Echo - Saturday 03 November 1945
Lincolnshire Echo - Wednesday 14 November 1945
Ad for the Corn is Green