Lyndie Wright
Lyndie Wright (1906-1991) is a South African born puppeteer based in London.
Contents
Biography
Born in Pretoria, in 19**, As a child she became interested in puppetry when she saw the John Wright puppets, and later in 1957, when she went to the University of Pretoria to study art she saw the company again. She then applied to join his company, but was initially turned down. However, she was appointed later and went on tour with them in Zimbabwe, then on to England to study at the Central School of Art, as did he.
Settling in London in 1959, they married and set up Little Angel Theatre in an old ruined temperance hall in Islington, London, which they bought with an inheritance from his aunt, and he devoted the last 30 years of his life to the theatre.
The company's work with marionettes became world-renowned and they have represented Britain at 25 international festivals.
Lyndie Wright Puppeteer. Wife of John WrightShe was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2012 Lyndie Wright also received the J.M. Barrie Award for a lifetime's achievement in work for young people
Films 2011 Hanna (special thanks)
2009 The Soloist (the producers wish to thank) 2007 Atonement (thanks) 2005 Pride & Prejudice (thanks)
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2252207/
He also did some film and TV work in England, including puppet making and puppetry for The Forbidden Street (1949, uncredited), The Tales of Hoffmann (1951), Billy Bean and His Funny Machine (BBC, 1954) and Supersonic Saucer (Gaumont, 1956).
He appeared as himself in the TV Series documentary on John Wright Puppets (Associated-Rediffusion Television, 1962) for the series "Here and Now".
He died in March 1991.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
He performed his first full length puppet play at Stellenbosch in 1941 and toured South Africa in 1943 and 1946, and again in 1955 and 1957 for the National Theatre Organisation (NTO) with his company, John Wright's Marionettes.
His repertoire included Die Klein Meerminnetjie / The Little Mermaid, Mak die Skaapdief / Mak the Sheepstealer (the 14th century miracle play) and a variety program with mr. Bumble as the announcer.
During the 1957 tour the company included Jane Tyson from England, Margaret Marshall, Timothy Heale as stage manager, Aiden Higgins, Jill Aanders, and Johan van Vreden who did most of the Afrikaans voices
Awards, etc
John Wright was awarded the MBE by Her Majesty the Queen.
Sources
Lantern, 7(1), 1957.
Vertolkende Kunste, HSRC, 1972.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0942511/
The family that pulls strings , The Guardian, 12 March 2011[1]
"Little Angel Theatre, Dagmar Passage, N1: in honour of founder John Wright" Islington Newsletter[2]
"Lyndie Wright, Puppeteer" in Spitalfields Life', July 30, 2014[3]
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