On 22 November 2016, Rae Smith gave the annual Jocelyn Herbert Lecture at the National Theatre. She projected images of her theatre drawings, discussing the different purposes they have. Some drawings record visual research; some are made in the studio and brought in to discuss with the rest of the creative team; others are made in… Continue reading Rae Smith on drawing
Why does the tactile matter?
As part of the 'Crossing Borders' season of talks at Siobhan Davies Studios, Independent Dance invited Abbie Garrington to talk about her work, in particular her exploration of the importance of touch in modernism (Haptic Modernism, 2013). She suggested that touch was particularly emphasised in the early 20th century, citing James Joyce, Virginia Woolf and… Continue reading Why does the tactile matter?
A Place for Plays
On Sunday 30 October, the Association of British Theatre Technicians held a symposium to mark the 40th anniversary of the opening of the National Theatre. There were dozens of short presentations, moving from fascinating details of the design process for the National's building and technical set up 40 years ago, to ideas about future and ideal spaces and new… Continue reading A Place for Plays
Wesker’s kitchens
A celebration of the life and work of Arnold Wesker (1932-2016) at the Royal Court Theatre on Sunday 9 October 2016 opened with a filmed extract from the 1961 production of The Kitchen. The play had first been produced in 1959 as a 'Sunday Night without décor’ production, designed by Jocelyn Herbert. The great thing… Continue reading Wesker’s kitchens
From the Jocelyn Herbert Archive 