Clare Venables
Encyclopedia
Clare Rosamund Venables was an English
theatre director. She was artistic director of regional theatres in Lincoln
, Stratford East (London
), and Sheffield
; she became Director of Education at the Royal Shakespeare Company
, and she also directed a number of opera
s.
, Essex
, to Sir Peter Venables, first vice-chancellor of the University of Aston and a founder of the Open University
, and Ethel Howell, an educational psychologist who chaired the Marriage Guidance Council
.
She was educated at Manchester High School
and Camp Hill School
, Birmingham
. She then read Drama at Manchester University, gaining a first class degree, and taught there for three years after graduating.
From 1977–1980, she was Artistic Director at the Theatre Royal in Stratford East
, London, a high profile role where she followed Joan Littlewood
in the role.
From 1981–1992, she was Artistic Director at the Crucible Theatre
in Sheffield
, where she had a role in the early careers of Tim Albery
, Stephen Daldry
and Steven Pimlott
.
She was active in the administration of the dramatic arts as a founding director of the Actors' Centre and as a member of the Arts Council
drama panel. She was also active throughout her career in teaching: long before taking up her RSC post, she taught at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
and at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
. From 1995–1999, she was principal of the BRIT School of Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon.
She was appointed Director of Education at the Royal Shakespeare Company
in 1999, a post which she held until her death. In this role she worked on education projects in the United States
with the University of Michigan
, Columbia University
, and Davidson College
, and in England with many schools as well as the University of Warwick
. One of her last projects was a production of Pericles
with the homeless people's theatre company, Cardboard Citizens
.
She contributed articles to Theatre Quarterly (1980), Plays and Players (1987) and Changes (1988).
She died of breast cancer aged 60.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
theatre director. She was artistic director of regional theatres in Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, Stratford East (London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
), and Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
; she became Director of Education at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
, and she also directed a number of opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
s.
Early life
She was born in Southend-on-SeaSouthend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, to Sir Peter Venables, first vice-chancellor of the University of Aston and a founder of the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
, and Ethel Howell, an educational psychologist who chaired the Marriage Guidance Council
Relate
Relate is a charity providing relationship support throughout the United Kingdom. Services include counselling for couples, families, young people and individuals, sex therapy, mediation and training courses....
.
She was educated at Manchester High School
Manchester High School for Girls
Manchester High School for Girls is an independent daytime school for girls and a member of the Girls School Association. It is situated in Fallowfield, Manchester, United Kingdom...
and Camp Hill School
King Edward VI Camp Hill
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys is a grammar school in Kings Heath, Birmingham for ages of 11 to 18 . One of the seven establishments of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI, it is a voluntary aided school, with admission by selective exam...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. She then read Drama at Manchester University, gaining a first class degree, and taught there for three years after graduating.
Career
Clare Venables started her career as director at the Theatre Royal in Lincoln in 1968, taking over as Artistic Director in 1970, with Howard Lloyd-Lewis as her assistant. They both moved on to the Manchester Library Theatre in 1973.From 1977–1980, she was Artistic Director at the Theatre Royal in Stratford East
Theatre Royal Stratford East
The Theatre Royal Stratford East is a theatre in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham. Since 1953, it has been the home of the Theatre Workshop company.-History:...
, London, a high profile role where she followed Joan Littlewood
Joan Littlewood
Joan Maud Littlewood was a British theatre director, noted for her work in developing the left-wing Theatre Workshop...
in the role.
From 1981–1992, she was Artistic Director at the Crucible Theatre
Crucible Theatre
The Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship....
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, where she had a role in the early careers of Tim Albery
Tim Albery
Tim Bronson Reginald Albery is an English stage director, best known for his productions of opera.-Life and career:Albery was born in Harpenden, the son of the impresario Donald Albery and grandson of the producer Sir Bronson Albery...
, Stephen Daldry
Stephen Daldry
Stephen David Daldry, CBE is an English theatre and film director and producer, as well as a three-time Academy Award nominated and Tony Award winning director.-Early years:...
and Steven Pimlott
Steven Pimlott
Steven Charles Pimlott OBE was an English opera and theatre director and actor. An obituary in The Times hailed him as "one of the most versatile and inventive theatre directors of his generation"...
.
She was active in the administration of the dramatic arts as a founding director of the Actors' Centre and as a member of the Arts Council
Arts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
drama panel. She was also active throughout her career in teaching: long before taking up her RSC post, she taught at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
and at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art is a leading British drama school in west London. LAMDA's president is Timothy West and its new principal is Joanna Read, who recently succeeded Peter James...
. From 1995–1999, she was principal of the BRIT School of Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon.
She was appointed Director of Education at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
in 1999, a post which she held until her death. In this role she worked on education projects in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, and Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
, and in England with many schools as well as the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
. One of her last projects was a production of Pericles
Pericles
Pericles was a prominent and influential statesman, orator, and general of Athens during the city's Golden Age—specifically, the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars...
with the homeless people's theatre company, Cardboard Citizens
Cardboard Citizens
Cardboard Citizens is the UK's only homeless people's professional theatre company and the leading practitioner of Forum Theatre in the UK. They work with people who have experience of, or who are at risk of, becoming homeless....
.
She contributed articles to Theatre Quarterly (1980), Plays and Players (1987) and Changes (1988).
Personal life
On 27 May 1971 she married the actor Robert Whelan; they separated in 1982. Their son, Joe, was born on 6 October 1978.She died of breast cancer aged 60.
Further reading
- Kate Dorney, Venables, Clare Rosamund (1943–2003), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online edn, first published January 2007. (Subscription required.)
- Lizbeth GoodmanLizbeth GoodmanProf. Lizbeth Goodman is the Chair of Creative Technology Innovation and founder director of the and the MAGIC Multimedia & Games Innovation Centre, formerly at the University of East London, England, and elsewhere, now at University College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland.Lizbeth Goodman founded the...
and Jane de GayJane de GayRev Dr Jane de Gay is a British academic and lecturer who has earned a reputation as an expert on the life and works of Virginia Woolf. Dr de Gay's works on Woolf include a series of articles and a 2006 book, Virginia Woolf's Novels and the Literary Past, published by Edinburgh University Press....
, Feminist Stages: Interviews with Women in Contemporary British Theatre. RoutledgeRoutledgeRoutledge is a British publishing house which has operated under a succession of company names and latterly as an academic imprint. Its origins may be traced back to the 19th-century London bookseller George Routledge...
, 1996. ISBN 3718658720, ISBN 9783718658725. (Includes an interview with Clare Venables.)