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THM/120 - Clemence Dane, playwright and novelist: papers
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Clemence Dane, playwright and novelist: papers

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This material is held at V&A Department of Theatre and Performance
Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120
Dates of Creation1890-1975
Name of Creator Clemence Dane
Language of Material English
Physical Description 50 Boxes

Scope and Content

This collection consists of a selection of Clemence Dane's playscripts, screenplays, poems, radio scripts, correspondence, photographs, press cuttings including reviews and publications, programmes, novels, articles, lectures, speeches and broadcasts.

Administrative / Biographical History

Clemence Dane was born 21 February 1888 in Blackheath, Kent and educated in England, Germany and Switzerland. She began her life under the name of Winifred Ashton. After a period as an art student at Dresden and the Slade School she decided to try acting. Miss Clemence Dane appeared at the Criterion Theatre on 12 February, 1913, as Vera Lawrence in Eliza Comes to Stay. In those days she was known as Diana Cortis. Towards the end of World War she began her career as a writer. She took the pseudonym "Clemence Dane" from the church St Clement Dane in London. Her first novel, Regiment of Women, was published in 1917. Her third novel, Legend was made into a play, A Bill of Divorcement, produced at the St. Martin's in 1921 and later made into a film.

To the commercial stage Dane brought West End dramas like Naboth's Vineyard (1925), musicals with Richard Addinsell Come of Age, (1934) and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass from Lewis Carroll, (1943 and 1948), adaptations such as The Happy Hypocrite from Sir Max Beerbohm, (1936) and a string of middle-class matinee plays, for example The Lion and the Unicorn, (1943) and Call Home the Heart (1947). She returned with Eighty in the Shade (1958) and The Godson (1964). Clemence Dane wrote a number of screenplays, with Edward Knoblock she wrote The Amateur Gentleman based on Jeffrey Farnol's Regency farrago, (1936). She also wrote Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948). She also wrote The Saviours: Seven Plays on one Theme (1940-41) and Don Carlos (adapted from Schiller, 1955) for the radio and in 1958 Till Time Shall End for BBC television.

Dane wrote fiction in collaboration with Helen Simpson and her bronze bust of Ivor Novello is in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London. She was the author of anthologies, including a book about the blitz The Shelter Book, 1940. She wrote London has a Garden about Covent Garden, where she lived for more than thirty years. She also wrote feminist essays such as The Women's Side, 1926. Her popular novels all dealt with the stage, for example Broome Stages (1931) and The Flower Girls (1954). Clemence Dane was made a CBE in 1953. By the time of her death in London, on 28 March 1965 Dane had written more than 30 plays and 16 novels.

Arrangement

These papers have been arranged in chronological order (except THM/120/10 Photographs of People and Places which is in alphabetical order) in the following series:

  • THM/120/1 - Playscript
  • THM/120/2 - Screenplays
  • THM/120/3 - Radio Scripts
  • THM/120/4 - Other Writings
  • THM/120/5 - Correspondence
  • THM/120/6 - Music Sheets and Song Lyrics
  • THM/120/7 - Programme, Booklets and posters
  • THM/120/8 - Press Cuttings
  • THM/120/9 - Production Photographs
  • THM/120/10 - Photographs of People and Places
  • THM/120/11 - Photographs of Objects

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is available for consultation in the V&A Department of Theatre and Performance's Reading Room, which is located at Blythe House, 23 Blythe Rd, Olympia, London, W14 0QX. The Reading Room is open Tuesday to Friday between 10.15 am and 4.30 pm. Access to it is by appointment only. To request an appointment please email tmenquiries@vam.ac.uk or telephone 020 7942 2698.

Access to some of these files may be restricted. These are identified at file level.

Conditions Governing Use

Archive material may not be photocopied. Arrangements can be made to photograph material in the reading room using non-flash photography.

Acquisition Information

Gift of the estate of Marius Goring, 1999.

Custodial History

This material was received by Mrs Prudence Goring, widow of the actor Marius Goring.

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Related Material

See also Theatre Museum Core Collections: material relating to Clemence Dane may be found in several collections, including Theatre Museum production files, biographical files, company files and photographs. Please ask for details.

Subjects

Theater - Great Britain - History - 20th Century
Dramatists

Personal Names

Dane, Clemence
Goring, Marius. ( 1912-1998)

Cataloguing Info

TitleClemence Dane, playwright and novelist: papers
Sub-titleCatalogue of records in the Victoria & Albert Museum: department of Theatre and Performance
AuthorCatalogued by Ciara Whooley
Revisions

Playscripts

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1
Dates of Creation1920-1965
Physical Description 60 files

Scope and Content

Typed, photocopied and handwritten playscripts by Clemence Dane, except where noted.

Administrative / Biographical History

Playscript for How Clear She Shines! a play in three acts

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/1
Dates of Creationca.1920-1930
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Curtis Brown Copy.

Playscript for The Ring of truth a play in three acts

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/2
Dates of Creationca.1920-1930
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Also titled 'Moonlight and Silver'.

Playscript for Salute The Women

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/3
Dates of Creationca.1920-1930
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Includes rough drafts.

Brecht the songs from the Three-Halfpenny Opera

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/4
Dates of Creationca.1920-1930
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Freely rendered into English by Clemence Dane.

Playscript for The Tragic Muse a dramatic recital

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/5
Dates of Creationca.1920-1930
Physical Description 1 file

Playscript for The Golden Reign of Queen Elizabeth

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/6
Dates of Creationca.1920-1930
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Labelled 'early, altered, final and incomplete versions'.

Playscript for The Melody of March the Twelfth a play with music and dance

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/7
Dates of Creationca.1920-1930
Physical Description 3 files

Playscript for Reflections a play in three acts

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/8
Dates of Creationca.1920-1930
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Freely adapted from Clemence Dane and Helen Simpson's novel 'Printer's Devil' by Victor M. Weingott.

Playscript for Will Shakespeare an invention in four acts

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/9
Dates of Creation1921
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Includes linking rhymes.

Playscript for The Uncertain Hour and typescript of an unidentified play

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/10
Dates of Creationca.1921
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Includes handwritten corrections.

Playscript for The Way Things Happen Act I and II

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/11
Dates of Creation1924
Physical Description 1 file

Playscript for Adam's Opera by Clemence Dane and Richard Addinsell

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/12
Dates of Creation1928
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Includes a note from 'B.D.V'. The text of a play with music.

Midsummer Men playscript and dialogue

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/13
Dates of Creation1928
Physical Description 1 file

Playscript for Printer's Devil

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/14
Dates of Creation1928-1930
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Includes list of characters. Incomplete version.

Playscript for The Gooseberry Fool by Clemence Dane and Helen Simpson

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/15
Dates of Creationca.1929
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Includes handwritten annotations.

Playscript for Come of Age by Clemence Dane and Richard Addinsell

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/16
Dates of Creation1934
Physical Description 3 files

Scope and Content

Produced by Delos Chappell at Maxine Elliott Theatre, New York, N. Y.

Playscript for The Emancipation of Mrs Morley and typed extracts of the play

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/17
Dates of Creation1935
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Includes notes and hand-written annotations.

Playscript for The Happy Hypocrite a play in words and music by Clemence Dane and Richard Addinsell

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/18
Dates of Creation1936
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Based upon Max Beerbohm's Story 'The Happy Hypocrite'.

Prompt script for The Conjurer a playlet written for The Red Cross Matinee

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/19
Dates of Creation1938
Physical Description 1 file

Playscript for The Conjurer a playlet written for The Red Cross Matinee

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/20
Dates of Creation1938
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Includes notes.

Playscript for White Ben

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/21
Dates of Creation1939
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

First rough draft of synopsis.

Playscript script for We That Are Young, a synopsis

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/22
Dates of Creationca.1940
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Annotated 'With the Secretary's Compliments' from Roger Burford.

Songs from The Saviours

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/23
Dates of Creation1940-1941
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Includes 'England's Darling', 'The Hope of Britain' and 'The May King'.

Playscript for Cousin Muriel

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/24
Dates of Creation1940
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Labelled 'first version act 1'.

Playscript for All Clear

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/25
Dates of Creation1940-1950
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Inscription 'script finale part only'.

Playscript for Cabbage Holiday a play by Clemence Dane and Richard Addinsell based on the novel by Anthony Thorne

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/26
Dates of Creation1940
Physical Description 1 file

Playscript for Cabbage Holiday a play by Clemence Dane and Richard Addinsell adapted from a novel by Anthony Thorne

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/27
Dates of Creation1940
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

A loose copy.

Playscript for The Red Dragon Gives a Lead

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/28
Dates of Creation1941
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Includes a list of characters and correspondence.

Playscript for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, dramatised by Clemence Dane with Music by Richard Addinsell

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/29
Dates of Creation1943
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Inscription 'Saville Feldman Studios 2'. Prompt Copy.

Playscript for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, dramatised by Clemence Dane with Music by Richard Addinsell

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/30
Dates of Creation1943
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Includes annotations. Richard Addinsell copy.

Playscript for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, dramatised by Clemence Dane with Music by Richard Addinsell

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/31
Dates of Creation1944
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

The Property of William Newman ESG. Prompt Copy.

Playscript for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, dramatised by Clemence Dane with Music by Richard Addinsell

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/32
Dates of Creation1944

Scope and Content

Labelled 'Peggy Cummins' on the outside cover. Includes annotations.

Playscript for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through The Looking-Glass

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/120/1/33
Dates of Creation1944
Physical Description 1 file

Scope and Content

Labelled 'Peggy Cummins' on the inside cover.

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