Marda "Scrappy" Vanne (born Margaretha van Hulsteyn;One source, a close friend, spells her name "Margueretha". 27 September 1896 – 27 April 1970) was a South African

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

who found fame in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

Early life

Margaretha was born in Pretoria, South African Republic to Sir Willem and Lady van Hulsteyn. Willem was born in

The Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

in 1865 and emigrated to South Africa at the age of fifteen. He became a leading lawyer in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Dem ...

and later a member of the

South African Parliament The Parliament of the Republic of South Africa is South Africa's legislature; under the present Constitution of South Africa, the bicameral Parliament comprises a National Assembly and a National Council of Provinces. The current twenty-seve ...

for many years. During the South African War, he became an advisor to Lord Milner, the

Governor of the Cape Colony This article lists the governors of British South African colonies, including the colonial prime ministers. It encompasses the period from 1797 to 1910, when present-day South Africa was divided into four British colonies namely: Cape Colony (p ...

, and was knighted by King

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...

in 1902. She was briefly married to politician Johannes Gerhardus "Hans" Strijdom, but the couple divorced within a year. Strijdom later went on to serve as

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

of South Africa from 1954-58. In 1914, Vanne met Isaac Rosenberg in

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

, who was on a visit to South Africa. He took a shine to her and drew a charcoal sketch of her. He also gave her a copy of his poem "If You Are Fire, and I Am Fire" and wrote a number of passionate love-poems at the time, which seem to have been inspired by her.

London

Vanne moved to London in 1918 to build on her acting career and studied speech training and drama under Elsie Fogerty at the

Central School of Speech and Drama The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama was founded by Elsie Fogerty in 1906, as The Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students. It became a ...

, then based at the Royal Albert Hall, London. After graduating she met director

Basil Dean Basil Herbert Dean CBE (27 September 1888 – 22 April 1978) was an English actor, writer, producer and director in the theatre and in cinema. He founded the Liverpool Repertory Company in 1911 and in the First World War, after organising unof ...

who recognised her talent and she had a successful career in the West End.Neville Phillips (2008) ''The Stage Struck Me!'', Troubador Publishing Ltd, Leicester, UK She also performed on Broadway in Noël Coward's '' Easy Virtue'' (1925), directed by Dean, and '' Many Waters'' (1929) by

Monckton Hoffe Monckton Hoffe (1880–1951) was an Irish playwright and screenwriter. Early life On 26 December 1880, Hoffe was born in Connemara, Ireland. His full name was Reaney Monckton Hoffe-Miles. Career Hoffe was known for his romantic comedies a ...

. Vanne became a good friend of

Alec Waugh Alexander Raban Waugh (8 July 1898 – 3 September 1981) was a British novelist, the elder brother of the better-known Evelyn Waugh, uncle of Auberon Waugh and son of Arthur Waugh, author, literary critic, and publisher. His first wife was Bar ...

, the brother of

Evelyn Waugh Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (; 28 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous works include the early satires '' Decl ...

. Alec noted in one of his books that Marda tended to be cast in supporting roles. He suggested that it was because she "lacked sex appeal on stage. ... She lacked lightness. She did not look embraceable. I pictured her in more emotional roles, as a mature woman." He wrote that although she had several affairs with men, her main interest was women.Alec Waugh (1975) ''A Year to Remember: A Reminiscence of 1931'', W.H. Allen & Co John Gielgud became a good friend of Vanne and mentions her in his writings.Jonathan Croall (2011) ''John Gielgud: Matinee Idol to Movie Star'', Methuen Drama

South African company

In London, Vanne formed a professional and personal partnership with the actress

Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies Dame Gwen Lucy Ffrangcon-Davies, (25 January 1891 – 27 January 1992) was a British actress and centenarian. Early life She was born in London of a Welsh family; the name "Ffrangcon" is said to originate from a valley in Snowdonia. Her pare ...

that lasted until her death in 1970.Michael Green (2004) ''Around and About: Memoires of a South African Newspaperman'', David Philip Publishers, Cape Town The couple founded a theatre company in South Africa, at the outbreak of World War II, when most of the London theatres were dark. They toured the provinces, including appearances at the Hoffmeyer Theatre in

. There they performed their production of ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...

'' in which Marda played Maria and Gwen played Olivia. They also produced and acted in the play ''Quality Street'' by

James Barrie Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, (; 9 May 1860 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote several succe ...

. They played 44 towns in fifteen weeks and made a small profit."Shakespeare in South Africa"
Internet Shakespeare Editions Vanne appeared as Madame Arcati in a production of '' Blithe Spirit'' in Johannesburg, and she and Ffrangcon-Davies brought their production of '' The Merry Wives of Windsor'' to the Alhambra Theatre in Cape Town in 1945. In 1950, Vanne directed an Afrikaans translation of ''Grumpy'', by Horace Hodges and T. Wigney Percyval called ''Oupa Brompie'' for the National Theatre Organisation (NTO) of South Africa. They produced ''The Dam'' by South African writer Guy Butler in 1952, which the author criticised for portraying the Coloured (mixed-race) characters as caricatures. Vanne gained

British Citizenship British nationality law prescribes the conditions under which a person is recognised as being a national of the United Kingdom. The six different classes of British nationality each have varying degrees of civil and political rights, due to the ...

in 1965. She died of cancer in 1970.

Selected work

Theatre

* ''If'' (1921) by Lord Dunsany – Mary Beal * ''King Lear's Wife'' (1921) by

Gordon Bottomley Gordon Bottomley (20 February 187425 August 1948) was an English poet, known particularly for his verse dramas. He was partly disabled by tubercular illness. His main influences were the later Victorian Romantic poets, the Pre-Raphaelites and ...

– Hygd * ''Amphitryon; or, The Two Socia's'' (1922) by

John Dryden '' John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the per ...

– Phaedra * '' Loyalties'' (1922) by John Galsworthy – Margaret Orme * ''

The Maid's Tragedy ''The Maid's Tragedy'' is a play by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher. It was first published in 1619. The play has provoked divided responses from critics. Date The play's date of origin is not known with certainty. In 1611, Sir George Buck ...

'' (1925) by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher – Dula * ''Rain'' (1925) by John Colton and Clemence Randolph (based on

W. Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...

's story "Miss Thompson") – Mrs. Davidson * '' Easy Virtue'' (1926) by Noël Coward – Marion * ''Made in Heaven'' (1926) by Phyllis Morris – Jane Chute * ''The Marriage of Figaro'' (1926) by Barry V. Jackson (after

Beaumarchais Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French polymath. At various times in his life, he was a watchmaker, inventor, playwright, musician, diplomat, spy, publisher, horticulturist, arms dealer, satirist, ...

) – Suzanne * '' The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd'' (1926) – Mrs Holroyd"Miss Marda Vanne, as Mrs. Holroyd, made the transition from passivity to passion, from wife to lover, with a complete mastery of the quietest method. This was muted acting at its best ...she possesses a comparatively rare gift. Whenever she is motionless her attitudes are significant; when she is still and silent her body continues to act, and she spoke with a peremptory impulsiveness admirably suited to the part." – Desmond MacCarthy (18 Dec. 1926) ''The New Statesman''"...gave a beautifuuly balanced and emotional performance as the play's tormented heroine." – H.H. (24 Dec. 1926) ''The Outlook'' p. 629 * ''

The Constant Wife ''The Constant Wife'', a play written in 1926 by W. Somerset Maugham, is a comedy whose modern and amusing take on marriage and infidelity gives a quick-witted, alternative view on how to deal with an extramarital affair. A “sparkling comedy o ...

'' (1927) by W. Somerset Maugham"Miss Marda Vanne is an actress of extreme flexibility. She changes style, looks, and mood for every part she plays, and again she was brilliantly not herself." – Ivor Brown (April 1927) ''Saturday Review'' * ''The Desperate Lovers'' (1927) by Alfred Sutro – Lady Eulalie Havers * '' The Happy Husband'' (1927) by Harrison Owen – Stella Tolhurst * ''Home Chat'' (1927) by Noël Coward – Mavis Wittersham * '' Many Waters'' (1928) by

– Mabel Wingrove, Mabel Barcaldine * ''

Two White Arms ''Two White Arms'', also known as ''Wives Beware'', is a 1932 British comedy film directed by Fred Niblo and starring Adolphe Menjou, Margaret Bannerman and Claud Allister. It is adapted from a play by Harold Dearden. Produced by Eric Hakim Pr ...

'' (1928) by Harold Dearden – Lydia Charrington * '' Cape Forlorn'' (1930) * '' For Services Rendered'' (1932) by W. Somerset Maugham – Gwen Cedar"...and especially Marda Vanne in the awkward part of Mrs Cedar are others whom one would like to praise at length." – Peter Fleming (November 1932) ''Spectator'' * ''Pleasure Cruise'' (1932) by Austen Allen – Judy Mills * ''At 8 a.m.'' (1935) by Jan Fabricius * '' Parnell'' (1936) by Elsie T. Schauffler – Mrs Benjamin Wood"...and from the power of he performanceof Miss Marda Vanne as Mrs. O'Shea's shewd old aunt. ...and, particularly, Miss Marda Vanne in the dry precision of her wit...." – Charles Morgan (24 April 1936) ''The Times'' * ''The King of Nowhere'' (1937) by

James Bridie James Bridie (3 January 1888 in Glasgow – 29 January 1951 in Edinburgh) was the pseudonym of a Scottish playwright, screenwriter and physician whose real name was Osborne Henry Mavor.Daniel Leary (1982) ''Dictionary of Literary Biography: ...

* ''Lovers' Meeting'' (1937) by Leonard Ide * ''

The Provoked Wife ''The Provoked Wife'' (1697) is the second original comedy written by John Vanbrugh. It made its first appearance in Lincoln's Inn Fields in May, 1697. The often-repeated claim that Vanbrugh wrote part of his comedy ''The Provoked Wife'' in th ...

'' (1937) – Lady Fanciful * ''The Flashing Stream'' (1938) by Charles Morgan – Lady Helston * ''Madmoiselle'' (1941) (in

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...

) with

Siegfried Mynhardt Siegfried Mynhardt (5 March 1906 – 28 March 1996) was a South African actor. Personal life Mynhardt was born in Johannesburg and lived in a Wynberg army camp, where his father was a padre. He had three children with his wife, Jocelyn. Caree ...

* ''

Six Characters in Search of an Author ''Six Characters in Search of an Author'' ( it, Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore, link=no ) is an Italian play by Luigi Pirandello, written and first performed in 1921. An absurdist fiction, absurdist metatheatrical, metatheatric play about th ...

'' (1954) by

Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature for "his almost magical power ...

* ''

Morning's at Seven ''Morning's at Seven'' is a play by Paul Osborn. Its plot focuses on four aging sisters living in a small Midwestern town in 1928, and it deals with ramifications within the family when two of them begin to question their lives and decide to mak ...

'' (1956) * ''

Man and Superman ''Man and Superman'' is a four-act drama written by George Bernard Shaw in 1903. The series was written in response to a call for Shaw to write a play based on the Don Juan theme. ''Man and Superman'' opened at the Royal Court Theatre in London o ...

'' (1965)

Filmography

* '' Strange Boarders'' (1938) – Mrs. Greatorex * ''

Joanna Joanna is a feminine given name deriving from from he, יוֹחָנָה, translit=Yôḥānāh, lit=God is gracious. Variants in English include Joan, Joann, Joanne, and Johanna. Other forms of the name in English are Jan, Jane, Janet, Janice ...

'' (1968)

Television

* ''The Great Adventure'' (1939) * ''Passion, Poison and Petrifaction'' (1939) * ''Prelude to Glory'' (1954) * '' Vanity Fair'' (1956–57) * ''

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre ''Sunday Night Theatre'' was a long-running series of televised live television plays screened by BBC Television from early 1950 until 1959. The productions for the first five years or so of the run were re-staged live the following Thursday, p ...

'' (1957) * ''Peace and Quiet'' (1957) * ''Our Mutual Friend'' (1958) * ''Dark Possession '' (1959) * ''The Eustace Diamonds'' (1959) * ''Knight Errant Limited'' (1960) * ''Somerset Maugham Hour'' (1960) * ''The First Gentleman'' (1961) * '' Emergency-Ward 10'' (1964) * ''

Theatre 625 ''Theatre 625'' is a British television drama anthology series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC2 from 1964 to 1968. It was one of the first regular programmes in the line-up of the channel, and the title referred to its production a ...

'' (1965) * ''

Out of the Unknown ''Out of the Unknown'' is a British television science fiction anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and broadcast on BBC2 in four series between 1965 and 1971. Most episodes of the first three series were a dramatisation of a science f ...

'' (1965) * '' Broome Stages'' (1966) * ''Middlemarch '' (1968) * ''

BBC Play of the Month ''Play of the Month'' is a BBC television anthology series, which ran from 1965 to 1983 featuring productions of classic and contemporary stage plays (or adaptations) which were usually broadcast on BBC1. Each production featured a different wo ...

'' (1970)

Radio

* ''The Words Upon the Window Pane'' (1937) by

William Butler Yeats William Butler Yeats (13 June 186528 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish liter ...

Personal life

A lesbian, Vanne was the partner, for many decades, of British actress Dame

."Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, Twentieth-Century Actress" by Dr Helen Grime, p. 52

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vanne, Marda 1896 births 1970 deaths South African stage actresses Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom South African lesbian actresses 20th-century LGBT people