Ida Schuster

Ida Schuster (28 September 1918 – 9 April 2020) was a Scottish theatre, radio and television actress, theatre director, and a leading figure in Glasgow's 20th-century Jewish theatre community.

Biography

One of nine children, her parents were Jewish immigrants who moved from Wilno, Poland (now Vilnius, Lithuania) to Glasgow at the end of the 19th century.

Ida attended Abbotsford Primary School in the Gorbals.

Ida's older sister, Ray, marrie
Avrom Greenbaum
who founded the Glasgow Jewish Institute Players, and her brother, Leon Schuster, was production manager for GJIP, and, later, when it merged with other groups, Glasgow Unity Theatre. Middleton, Heather (ed.) (2016) ''Women of the Gorbals Heritage Walk.'' (Glasgow: Glasgow Women's Library). p. 7. https://womenslibrary.org.uk/gwl_wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/GWL-Women-of-the-Gorbals-Heritage-Walk.pdf

Ida began acting at the age of 15, and was a prominent member of both theatre troupes. Glasgow Unity Theatre, was, she said: “...a particular response to a particular time. These were heady days and after the war we really felt utopia had arrived.” She turned professional in the 1950s.

In 1973, she described her feelings about the artist within the community:

Well...the bridge games, the social activities for charities which form so much of the pattern, must be partly rejected if one is to survive with any creative energy. And as one grows older, responsibilities increase and energy decreases. This happens to all of us and youth takes over. Make no mistake, our young folk will be holding the reins with great expertise, well equipped for the battles which lie ahead.

Personal life

Ida was married to Dr. Allan Berkeley until his death in 1990, after 45 years of marriage. At the time of his death, she was appearing in ''The Steamie'' and had to leave the cast. The couple had two children, Howard and Peter.

Schuster died on 9 April 2020, at the age of 101.

Theatrical productions

* ''The Dybbuk'' - first major role, as part of The Festival of Jewish Arts at Glasgow's McLellan Galleries, which responded to, and coincided with the Festival of Britain (4-25 February 1951)
* ''Blood Wedding'' (18-29 November 1952) - A GJIP production, with Schuster playing the role of The Mother
* ''Morning Star'' (1959) - GJIP's revival of the Sylvia Regan play
* Various productions as part of the Citizens' Theatre (Season 1962-63):
** '' A Midsummer Night's Dream'' by William Shakespeare
** ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' by Tennessee Williams
** ''The Good Woman of Setzuan'' by Bertolt Brecht (première of new translation by John Willett)
** ''Uncle Vanya'' by Anton Chekhov
** ''Arms and the Man'' by George Bernard Shaw
** ''Saturmacnalia'' by Cliff Hanley
** ''Serjeant Musgrave's Dance'' by John Arden
** ''The Importance of Being Earnest'' by Oscar Wilde
** ''Henry IV'' by Luigi Pirandello
** ''The Partridge Dance'' by Ronald Mavor
** '' The Birthday Party'' by Harold Pinter
** ''The School for Scandal'' by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
** ''The Waltz of the Toreadors'' by Jean Anouilh
** ''V Minus One'' by John Hubbard
** '' A Resounding Tinkle'' by Norman Frederick Simpson
** ''The Love of Four Colonels'' by Peter Ustinov
* '' Strictly for the Birds'' (1966) - she was cited for her "standout performance".
* ''Dr. Angelus'' (1974) - played Angelus in the Pitlochry Festival Theatre production
* ''Blithe Spirit'' (1974) - played Madame Arcati in the Pitlochry Festival Theatre production
* ''Here for a father'' (1974) - played Medea in the Pitlochry Festival Theatre production
* ''Personal Effects'' (1974) - played Miss Anders in the Pitlochry Festival Theatre production
* ''The Slab Boys'' (premiered at the Traverse Theatre, 6 April 1978) - played Sadie, the tea lady
* ''Country Life'' (1979) - Schuster noted for a strong performance of a "painted widow desperate for affection"
* '' Mary Stuart'' (1985) - played the role of Hannah, at the Glasgow Citizen's Theatre
* ''Lucy's Play'' (1986) - Noted for portraying a "delightfully wearisome mother"
* ''The Steamie'' (1987-1990) - Schuster played the role of Mrs. Culfeathers, acting alongside Elaine C. Smith, Dorothy Paul and Katy Murphy
* ''Daughters in Distress'' (1989) - Schuster was noted for a "tender, funny and uncommonly moving study"
* ''Musical Chairs'' (1993) - Schuster's performance noted as "worth an award in itself"

As Director

Amongst her work as a theatre director was the inaugural production (opening 12 May 1981) of ''Eine Kleine Nachmutze ine Kleine Nachtmusik' at the Tron Theatre.

Selected filmography

* ''Death Watch nowiki/>La_mort_en_direct''.html" ;"title="La_mort_en_direct.html" ;"title="nowiki/>La mort en direct">nowiki/>La mort en direct''">La_mort_en_direct.html" ;"title="nowiki/>La mort en direct">nowiki/>La mort en direct''1980) - as Old Woman
* ''Passing Glory'' (1987) - Gillies MacKinnon's NFTS graduation film, also starring Fiona Chalmers and Alan Cumming
* ''A Short History of the Glasgow Jewish Institute Players'' (1996) - Schuster wrote and produced this video documentary
* ''A Shot at Glory'' (2000) - as Wee Brenda

Television appearances

* ''One's Company'' (1974) - Co-starred with Robert Urquhart and Leena Skoog, broadcast on BBC Scotland
* ''Garnock Way'' (1976-1979) - as Carla the café owner
* '' The Dunroamin' Rising'' (1988) - Play by Colin MacDonald
* '' And the Cow Jumped Over the Moon'' (1991) - Play by Donna Franceschild broadcast on BBC1
* ''Doctor Finlay'' (1993)
* ''Taggart'' (1990-2005) - as various characters
* ''River City'' (2002) - as Lily Fraser

'Old School' podcast

In 2020, Ida was described as "the world’s oldest podcaster", in reference to her recording o
Old School
(for broadcaster Janice Forsyth’s Big Light company), in which she shared stories about her life and career.

References

External links

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schuster, Ida
1918 births
2020 deaths
Actresses from Glasgow
Scottish stage actresses
Scottish film actresses
Scottish centenarians
Scottish Jews
Women centenarians
20th-century Scottish actresses
21st-century Scottish actresses