Marda Vanne

(1897-1970) Stage name for Martha van Hulsteyn. Actress and director. Nicknamed "Scrappy".

Biography

Born in Pretoria as Martha van Hulsteyn, to Sir Willem and Lady van Hulsteyn. she studied acting with Elsie Fogarty at the Central School of Dramatic Art in London.

She was famously, though briefly, married to future Nationalist Prime Minister J.G. Strijdom (the "Lion of the North"), some years before he entered politics. In 1918, after a period as actress in South Africa, she left South Africa to work in England, only returning , now calling herself Marda Vanne, in 1940.

In London, she formed a professional and personal partnership with actress Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies that lasted until her death in 1970.

She and Gwen worked in South Africa during the war years (1940-1946), when they returned to England. She still did the occasional theatrical work, her final appearance being in Man and Superman (1965). However, she did quite a substantial amount of television work in London. (For her film and YV profile, see http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0889219/)

She gained British Citizenship in 1965, though she continued to visit and be involved in South African theatre for many years.

She died 29th April 1970 in England.

Her career and contribution to South African Theatre

First phase: South Africa, 1914-1918

She originally joined Leonard Rayne's company in 1914, performing at the Standard Theatre, Johannesburg under her own name of Martha van Hulsteyn). She appeared in a number of plays, inter alia A White Man, Kismet, The Royal Divorce, two new plays by Stephen Black (Helena's Hope, Ltd. and Van Kalabas Does His Bit) in February 1917, and Milestones in 1918. They also played at the Opera House, Cape Town on occasion.

Second phase: England, 1919-1939

In 1918 she left South Africa for England, where she adopted the stage name of Marda Vanne and went on to attain success in London.

Her first appearance was in If at the Ambassador's Theatre on 30 May 1921. She also appeared in New York's Empire Theatre in Easy Virtue.

Fourth phase: England and South Africa, 1946-1970

She was appointed artistic advisor of the National Theatre in 1950. Directed Shaw’s Candida for the National Theatre in 1950. Starred in Waters of the Moon by N.C. Hunter in 1953 with Gwen Ffrangçon-Davies. She made her last appearance for the National Theatre in Eugene O'Neill’s A Touch of the Poet in 1961. It was directed by Margaret Webster and was staged at the Alexander Theatre in Johannesburg. The male lead was Johann Nell. Later addition to the Breytenbach's NTO Board of Control together with Elizabeth Sneddon. VANNE, Marda,(Stage Name) Margaretha van Hulsteyn . Joined Leonard Rayne’s company in 1914. A White Man, Kismet, The Royal Divorce, Twelfth Night, Gwen ffrangcon-Davies, 1940/41.

[TH, JH]

Sources

Hartnoll, 19**;

Du Toit, 1988;

Tucker, 1997

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marda_Vanne

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0889219/

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