2010

The Jocelyn Herbert lecture series was established at the National Theatre with a grant from the Rootstein Hopkins Foundation to provide funding for ten lectures. The aims of the lectures are to increase public awareness of a largely invisible discipline within an otherwise closely monitored activity, and to increase the status of the discipline within the academic environment. The inaugural lecture (Less is More) was given by Richard Eyre in the Olivier auditorium at the National with an audience of 950. Art London New Review

The Rootstein Hopkins Foundation grant included bursaries for transport for students from outside London who would not otherwise be able to attend and there were free tickets available for students within the University of the Arts. The lecture was followed by a reception hosted by the Chair of the UAL’s Court of Governors, Sir John Tusa, in the NT’s Paint Frame.

Dr. Elizabeth Wright summarised some recordings made by Cathy Courtney when editing Jocelyn Herbert: A Theatre Workbook (ISBN 1-874044-05-8).

External researchers included Trish Montemuro, former company and senior stage manager at the National Theatre for over twenty years, who researched the productions which she and Jocelyn had worked on together and documented some of her memories for the archive, and Professor Anna McMullen (Director of Research for Film and Theatre at the University of Reading).

There were two winners of Wimbledon’s Theatre Design competition, Sarah Dutton and Emma O’Rourke, both BA Design for Performance students. Sarah’s exhibition was called Jocelyn and George and focused on the relationship between Jocelyn and George Devine and its impact on the English Stage Company at the Royal Court. Emma’s exhibition was called Life is serious but Art is fun and centred on two of Jocelyn’s films Ned Kelly and Hotel New Hampshire directed by Tony Richardson.