Gwen Friend papers, relating to the theatre and Fifi Banvard Productions, 1903-1965

MLMSS 3403

fonds

1903-1965

994942

0.26 metres of textual material (2 x boxes)

Gwen Friend was a partner with Fifi Banvard in the theatre company Fifi Banvard Productions. She was responsible for set design, props, lighting, costumes and make-up. Banvard, a popular stage and radio actor since the 1920's, was the first women to be an actor/manager in the Australian theatre. The company played a season in Tasmania at the Theatre Royal in Hobart from July 1950- March 1951, to great acclaim.

BOX 1
Correspondence, mainly letters received relating to plays staged at the Theatre Royal, Hobart, 1950-1951, including a telegram from Laurence Olivier, 1950-1958, undated

Prompt copies of Arsenic and Old Lace; Susan and God; Night Must Fall, 1950-1951

3 x scrapbooks of cuttings relating to Fifi Banvard Productions in Tasmania, reviews and articles, 1950-1951

Scrapbook of cuttings relating to Fifi Banvard's career, particularly while she performed on Bob Dyer's radio show, 1923-1926, 1945

BOX 2
Theatre Programmes for Australian and international productions, 1922-1965, undated

The Theatre: an illustrated magazine of theatrical and musical life, New York - various issues, 1903-1910

The Theatre Royal, Hobart 1837-1948, Mercury Press - a history, ca 1949

Pictorial material related to this collection is at PXE 1260 and PXA 1545

Copyright restrictions may apply: Manuscript material is in copyright, material published before 1955 is out of copyright.