top of page
.com
Estd. 2020
Approved by the Shaw Family
Mary Ure
West End & Broadway
1954-1975
Taking a closer look at the distinguished stage career of Mary Ure which included appearing in two plays with Robert.
Time Remembered
Mary Ure as Amanda
a young prince is madly in love with a Romanian opera singer, Léocadia Gardi. The young man only knew her for three days: like Isadora Duncan, she died strangled by her shawl. Inconsolable, he lives in his memory of the young woman.
His aunt—the Duchesse d'Andinet d'Andaine—reconstructs the setting and places of those three days like a theater director. Actors play the parts of the butler and servants during those days of happiness. Amanda, a poor milliner and look-alike of the singer, is called upon to seduce the prince, in the hope that life will prevail over memory.
At first, the young man clings desperately to his dream, but eventually comes to realize through Amanda that his memory of Léocadia corresponds to his fear of life being so ephemeral. His anguish at leaving an illusory memory yields soon to the call of real life.
The rigid, theatrical world imagined by the duchess falls apart, becoming a false comedy. The prince leaves his illusions and discovers that Léocadia was only an ideal, devoid of substance. His love of Amanda helps him return to real life.
Based on the play "Léocadia" by Jean Anouilh
Translated by Patricia Moyes
Director: William Chappell
Produced by H.M. Tennent
Incidental Music by Leslie Bridgewater
Lighting Joe Davis
Settings and costumes by Peter Rice
Chief Costume Supervisor: Lily Taylor
Company Manager: Reginald Gosse
Hats by Desmond Heeley
Manager: Betty Woolfe
Master Carpenter: George Page
Miss Mary Ure’s hair dressed by Phyllis Earle
Press Representative: Vivienne Byerley
Sound: Stagesound (London) Ltd
Stage Manager: Alfred Hyslop
Stage Manager: Alice Lidderdale
Wardrobe Mistress: Mrs Wyndham
Wigs by Wig Creations
CAST
1st footman / 2nd gipsy: Paul Anstee
1st gipsy / 2nd footman: Dennis Chinnery
3rd gipsy: Catherine Coulton
A waiter: Tristram Butt
An Ice Cream Man / The Landlord: Hugh Pryse
Ferdinand, a head waiter: Geoffrey Dunn
Lord Hector: Richard Goolden
Prince Albert Troubiscoi: Paul Scofield
The Cloakroom Attendant: Aithna Gover
The Duchess of Pont-au-Bronc: Margaret Rutherford
The Taxi Driver / A ghilly: Norman Bird
Theophilus, a butler: Stringer Davis
WEST END
Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith
December 2nd 1954 - April 2nd 1955
New Theatre, London
April 9th - May 14th 1955
NATIONAL TOUR
Theatre Royal, Brighton (25th October – 6th November 1954)
King’s Theatre, Southsea (8th – 13th November 1954)
Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth (15th – 20th November 1954)
Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (22nd – 27th November 1954
New Theatre, Oxford (16th – 21st May 1955)
Streatham Hill Theatre, London (23rd – 28th May 1955)
Golders Green Hippodrome (30th May – 4th June 1955)
Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool (13th – 18th June 1955)
Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne (20th – 25th June 1955)
Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh (27th June – 9th July 1955)
King’s Theatre, Glasgow (11th – 16th July 1955)
Grand Theatre & Opera House, Leeds (18th – 23rd July 1955)
Opera House, Manchester (25th – 30th July 1955)
Production Gallery
Mary Ure as Ophelia
Directed by Peter Brook
Produced by Tennent Productions Ltd.
Designed by Georges Wakhevitch
Music composed by Thomas Eastwood
Fights arranged by Bernard Hepton
CAST
Bernardo / Fifth Player: Gareth Jones
Claudius: Alec Clunes
Cornelius: Anthony Service
Francisco / Norwegian Captain: Michael Allinson
Gentleman: Robert Robinson
Ghost: John Phillips
Guildenstern: David De Keyser
Hamlet: Paul Scofield
Horatio: Michael David
Lady in Waiting: Beryl Andrews
Lady in Waiting: Catherine Feller
Lady in Waiting: Greta Watson
Laertes: Richard Johnson
Lucianus / Gravedigger: Harry H Corbett
Marcellus: John Turner
Osric: Timothy Findley
Polonius: Ernest Thesiger
Priest: Norman Bird
Reynaldo: Norman Scace
Rosencrantz: Gerald Flood
Sailor: Churton Fairman
Second Player: Aubrey Woods
Voltemand: Peter Whitbread
WEST END
Phoenix Theatre, London
(8th December 1955 – 24th March 1956)
NATIONAL TOUR
Theatre Royal, Brighton (started 25th October 1955)
New Theatre, Oxford (7th – 12th November 1955)
Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham (started 14th November 1955)
Moscow Art Theatre, Russia (started 23rd November 1955)
Production Gallery
Mary Ure as Abigail Williams
Directed by George Devine & Tony Richardson
Written by Arthur Miller
Produced by The English Stage Company
Designed by Stephen Doncaster
Costumes by Motley
Cast
Betty Parris - Marcia Manolesceu
Deputy Governor Danforth - George Devine
Elizabeth Proctor - Rosalie Crutchley
Ezekiel Cheever - Christopher Fettes
Francis Nurse - Stephen Dartnell
Hopkins - Alan Bates
John Proctor - Michael Gwynn
John Willard - George Selway
Judge Hathorne - Robert Stephens
Mary Warren - Joan Plowright
Mercy Lewis - Josee Richard
Mrs Ann Putnam - Rachel Kempson
Rebecca Nurse - Agnes Lauchlan
Reverend John Hale - Kenneth Haigh
Reverend Samuel Parris - John Welsh
Sarah Good - Barbara Grimes
Susanna Walcott - Helena Hughes
Thomas Putnam: Nigel Davenport
Tituba - Connie Smith
Venue: The Royal Court Theatre, London
(April 9th - May 5th 1956)
Production Gallery
Mary Ure as Alison Porter
Directed by Tony Richardson
Written by John Osborne
Produced by The English Stage Company
Designed by Alan Tagg
Music by Thomas Eastwood
Cast
Cliff Lewis: Alan Bates
Colonel Redfern: John Welsh
Helena Charles: Helena Hughes
Jimmy Porter: Kenneth Haigh
Alison Porter (replacement) Tarn Bassett
(started September 1956)
Helena Charles (replacement) Vivienne Drummond
(started September 1956)
Alison Porter (replacement) Doreen Aris
(started 5th November 1956)
Colonel Redfern (replacement) Kenneth Edwards
(started 5th November 1956)
Jimmy Porter (replacement) Richard Pasco
(started 5th November 1956)
Venues
The Royal Court Theatre, London
(May 8th - October 27th 1956)
Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, London
(November 5th - December 7th 1956)
Richmond Theatre, London
(December 9th - 14th 1956)
Production Gallery
A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
Mary Ure as Catherine
Directed and Designed by Peter Brook
Produced by New Watergate Theatre Club and Watergate Presentations Ltd.
Written by Arthur Miller
Lighting Supervision by Joe Davis
Stage Manager: Judith Spearman
Technical Supervision by Ian Dow
Assistant Stage Manager: Carmen Vickers
Assistant to Designer: Michael Northen
Chief Costume Supervisor: Lily Taylor
Company Manager: Frank Stevens
Press Representative: Ian Purvis
Scenery built by Brunskill & Loveday
Scenery painted by Alick Johnstone
CAST
1st immigration officer: John Stone
2nd immigration officer: Colin Rix
A ‘Submarine’: Peter James
Alfieri: Michael Gwynn
Beatrice: Megs Jenkins
Eddie: Anthony Quayle
Louis: Richard Harris
Marco: Ian Bannen
Mike: Norman Mitchell
Mr. Lipari: Mervyn Blake
Mrs. Lipari: Catherine Wilmer
Rodolpho: Brian Bedford
Tony: Ralph Nossek
VENUE: Comedy Theatre, London
(11th October 1956 – 20th April 1957)
Production Gallery
Mary Ure as Alison Porter
Directed by Tony Richardson
Written by John Osborne
Produced by David Merrick
Costumes by Motley
Designed by Alan Tagg
Music by Thomas Eastwood
General Manager: Jack Schlissel
Stage Manager: Howard Stone
Press Representatives: Harvey Sabinson, Lewis Harmon and Sol Jacobson
Advertising: Blaine-Thompson and Fred Golden
Setting, lighting and costumes supervised by Howard Bay
Cast
Cliff Lewis: Alan Bates
Colonel Redfern: Jack Livesey
Helena Charles: Vivienne Drummond
Jimmy Porter: Kenneth Haigh
Venues
Lyceum Theatre, Broadway, New York, USA
(Octber 1st 1957 - March 15th 1958)
John Golden Theatre, Broadway, New York, USA
(March 17th 1958 - September 20th 1958)
Production Gallery
Mary Ure as Desdemona
Directed by Tony Richardson
Produced by The Royal Shakespeare Company
Written by William Shakespeare
Designed by Loudon Sainthill
Lighting by Michael Northen
Music by Leslie Bridgewater
CAST
Bianca Zoe Caldwell
Brabantio Paul Hardwick
Cassio Albert Finney
Duke of Venice Ian Holm
Emilia Angela Baddeley
Gratiano Donald Layne-Smith
Herald Stephen Thorne
Iago Sam Wanamaker
Lodovico Edward De Souza
Montano Julian Glover
Montano Officer 1 David Buck
Montano Officer 2 Roy Dotrice
Montano Officer 3 Kenneth Gilbert
Othello Paul Robeson
Roderigo Peter Woodthorpe
Unnamed parts Georgine Anderson
Unnamed parts Roger Bizley
Unnamed parts Charles Borromel
Unnamed parts Michael Graham Cox
Unnamed parts Christopher Cruise
Unnamed parts Jon Dennis
Unnamed parts Mavis Edwards
Unnamed parts Nicholas Hawtrey
Unnamed parts Norman Henry
Unnamed parts Edna Landor
Unnamed parts Peter Mason
Unnamed parts Dan Meaden
Unnamed parts Vanessa Redgrave
Unnamed parts Diana Rigg
Unnamed parts Richard Rudd
Unnamed parts Robert Russell
Unnamed parts Don Smith
Unnamed parts Roy Spencer
Unnamed parts Malcolm Taylor
Unnamed parts Dave Thomas
Unnamed parts Stephen Thorne
Venue: Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Press Night: 7th April 1959
Production Gallery
Mary Ure as Tatiana
Directed by Peter Hall
Produced by The Royal Shakespeare Company
Written by William Shakespeare
Designed by Lila De Nobili
Lighting by Michael Northen
Music by Raymond Leppard
Choreography by Pauline Grant
CAST
Bottom - Charles Laughton
Demetrius - Edward De Souza
Egeus - Roy Dotrice
Fairy - Georgine Anderson
Fairy - Zoe Caldwell
Fairy - Judith Downes
Fairy - Mavis Edwards
Fairy - Margaret O’Keefe
Fairy - Jean Owen
Fairy - Malcolm Ranson
Fairy - Michael Scoble
Flute - Peter Woodthorpe
Helena - Vanessa Redgrave
Hermia - Priscilla Morgan
Hippolyta - Stephanie Bidmead
Lysander - Albert Finney
Oberon - Robert Hardy
Philostrate - Donald Layne-Smith
Puck - Ian Holm
Quince - Cyril Luckham
Snout - Michael Blakemore
Snug - Julian Glover
Starveling - Donald Eccles
Theseus - Anthony Nicholls
Unnamed parts - Roger Bizley
Unnamed parts - Charles Borromel
Unnamed parts - David Buck
Unnamed parts - Michael Graham Cox
Unnamed parts - Christopher Cruise
Unnamed parts - Jon Dennis
Unnamed parts - Nicholas Hawtrey
Unnamed parts - Norman Henry
Unnamed parts - Edna Landor
Unnamed parts - Peter Mason
Unnamed parts - Dan Meaden
Unnamed parts - Diana Rigg
Unnamed parts - Richard Rudd
Unnamed parts - Robert Russell
Unnamed parts - Don Smith
Unnamed parts - Dave Thomas
Unnamed parts - Stephen Thorne
Venue: Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Press Night: 2nd June 1959
A film of Peter Hall’s staging of the play intended for screening on NBC television in America but never shown. The RSCs archive copy is a complete cut of the programme (c90 mins)with a 9-minute filmed interview by Laughton and a brief prefatory word by Peter Hall (shot in the theatre.
It was shot on videotape, with cameras brought over from France. The RSC’s copy is a kinescope copy of the tape. There are no commercials or sponsor or station identification.
An apron stage was built over the stalls of the theatre to accommodate camera movement. Hubball Robinson, the producer, appears to have intended it as part of a series of specials to be broadcast with Ford as sponsor and on NBC.
Production Gallery
CORIOLANUS
Mary Ure as Virgilia
Directed by Peter Hall
Produced by The Royal Shakespeare Company
Written by William Shakespeare
Designed by Boris Aronson
Lighting by Michael Northen
Music by Roberto Gerhard
Choreography by Pauline Grant
Fights arranged by Bernard Hepton and John Greenwood
Costumes by Riette Sturge Moore
CAST
Aedile 1 - Kenneth Gilbert
Aedile 2 - Peter Mason
Aufidius Servant 1 - Michael Graham Cox
Aufidius Servant 2 - Roy Dotrice
Aufidius Servant 3 - Ian Holm
Cominius - Paul Hardwick
Coriolanus - Laurence Olivier
Gentlewoman - Mavis Edwards
Junius Brutus - Peter Woodthorpe
Lieutenant - Edward De Souza
Menenius - Harry Andrews
Roman Citizen - Georgine Anderson
Roman Citizen - Stephanie Bidmead
Roman Citizen - Edna Landor
Roman Citizen - Diana Rigg
Roman Citizen - Michael Scoble
Roman Citizen 1 - Albert Finney
Roman Citizen 2 - Julian Glover
Roman Citizen 3 - Roy Dotrice
Roman Citizen 4 - Ian Holm
Roman Citizen 5 - Michael Graham Cox
Roman Citizen 6 - Stephen Thorne
Roman Citizen 7 - Dan Meaden
Roman Senator - Michael Blakemore
Roman Soldier - Christopher Cruise
Roman Soldier - Jon Dennis
Roman Soldier - Richard Rudd
Roman Soldier - Don Smith
Roman Soldier - Roy Spencer
Roman Soldier - Malcolm Taylor
Senate Officer - Edward De Souza
Senate Officer - Donald Layne-Smith
Sicinius Velutus - Robert Hardy
Titus Lartius - Donald Eccles
Tullus Aufidius - Anthony Nicholls
Valeria - Vanessa Redgrave
Volscian Citizen - Nicholas Hawtrey
Volscian Conspirator - Roger Bizley
Volscian Conspirator - David Buck
Volscian Senator 1 - Donald Layne-Smith
Volscian Senator 2 - Charles Borromel
Volscian Senator 3 - Norman Henry
Volscian Sentinel 1 - Dave Thomas
Volscian Sentinel 2 - Robert Russell
Volumnia - Edith Evans
Young Marcius - Malcolm Ranson
Venue: Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Press Night: 7th July 1959
Production Gallery
Duel of Angels
Mary Ure as Lucile
directed by robert helpmann
Produced by Roger L. Stevens and S. Hurok
written by jean giraudoux
translated by christopher fry
designed by roger k. furse
costumes by christian dior
lighting by paul morrison
production stage manager: john maxtone-graham
Stage Manager: Jonathan Anderson
Press Representative: William Fields
Company Manager: Oscar Olesen
Casting: Terry Fay
CAST
Vivien Leigh - Paola
Margaret Braidwood - Barbette
Ludi Claire - Eugenie
Felix Deebank - Mace-Bearer
Alan MacNaughtan - Mr. Justice Blanchard
Key Meersman - Customer at the Cafe
John Merival - eArmand
Byron Mitchell - Customer at the Cafe
Donald MoffatClerk of the Court
Customer at the Cafe
Aina Niemela - Gilly
Virginia Robinson - Customer at the Cafe
Ken Edward Ruta - Servant
Theodore Tenley - Servant
Alicia Townsend - Customer at the Cafe
James Valentine - Joseph
Peter Wyngarde - Count Marcellus
VENUE: Helen Hayes Theatre, BROADWAY, NEW YORK
(AprIL 19th 1960 - June 1st 1960)
ALCAZAR THEATRE, BROADWAY, NEW YORK
HUNTINGTON HARTFORD THEATRE, LOS ANGELES
MARY ALSO APPEARED FOR A LIMITED RUN IN THE LONDON PRODUCTION IN 1958 AS LUCILE
Production Gallery
Trials by Logue
Mary Ure as Antigone and Mabel Cob
Directed by Lindsay Anderson
Produced by the Royal Court Theatre Company
Two Playlets written by Christopher Logue
Designed by Jocelyn Herbert
Music by Bill Le Sage
Choreography by Eleanor Fazan
CAST (ANTIGONE)
Zoe Caldwell (Ismene)
Morris Perry (Head Steward)
Trevor Martin (Second Steward)
Third Steward (Murray Evans)
Creon (George Rose)
Dickie Owen (Head Guard)
Peter Fraser (Second Guard)
Tony Selby (Third Guard)
Peter Duguid (Sentry)
Laurence Harrington (Fourth Guard)
Peter Holmes (Haemon)
CAST (COB AND LEACH)
George Rose (Magistrate)
Peter Duguid (Clerk of the Court)
Morris Perry (First Policeman)
Murray Evans (Second Policeman)
Zoe Caldwell (Whore)
Peter Fraser (Henry Leach)
Hazel Hughes (Miss Edith Peaches)
Trevor Martin (Sergeant Pokesdown)
Tony Selby and Dickie Owen (Police Horse Charlotte)
Peter Holmes (Plato, a dog)
Tony Stone (Policewoman Suet, Bass)
Brain Pickles (Constable Mogg, Drums)
Stanley Myers (Sergeant Posey, Piano)
VENUE: ROYAL COURT THEATRE, LONDON
PREMIERE: NOVEMBER 23rd 1960
Production Gallery
The
Changeling
Mary Ure as Beatrice-Joanna
Directed by Tony Richardson
Written by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley
Produced by The Royal Court Theatre Company
Designed by Jocelyn Herbert
Music by Raymond Leppard
Choreography by Eleanor Kazan
CAST
Alibus - John Blatchley
Alonzo de Piraquo - Alan Howard
Anselmo - Jeremy Brett
Antonio - Robin Ray
De Flores - Robert Shaw
Diaphania - Annette Crosbie
Ensemble - Robin Chapman
Ensemble - Derek Fuke
Ensemble - Basil Moss
Ensemble - Pauline Munro
Ensemble - Morris Perry
Ensemble - Rita Tushingham
Franciscus - Charles Kay
Isabella - Zoe Caldwell
Jasperino - Derek Newark
Lollio - Norman Rossington
Pedro - Roland Curram
Tomazo de Piraquo - David William
Vermandero - Peter Duguid
Venue: The Royal Court Theatre, London
Press Night: 21st February 1961
Production Gallery
Harold Pinter's
mary ure as kate
When Deeley and his wife Kate are visited by her old friend Anna, tensions bubble up as memories are used for more than just reminiscing.
Directed by Peter Hall
Produced by Roger L. Stevens, Robert Whitehead and Robert W. Dowling
Written by Harold Pinter
Scenic Design by John Bury
Costume Design by Beatrice Dawson
Lighting Design by John Bury
cast
robert shaw as deeley
rosemary harris as anna
General Manager: Oscar E. Olesen
Assistant Co. Mgr: Robert P. Cohen
Production Stage Manager: Frederic de Wilde
Stage Manager: Wayne Carson
Press Representative: Seymour Krawitz
Press Associate: Patricia Krawitz
Casting: Wayne Carson
Advertising: Fred Golden and The Blaine Thompson Agency
Photographer: Sy Friedman
Venue: The Billy Rose Theatre, Broadway, New York
Dates: November 16th 1971 - February 26th 1972
Number of Previews: 4
Number of Performances: 120
Production Gallery
THE EXORCISM
mary ure as RACHAEL
Directed By Peter Coe
Written By Don Taylor
Produced by Frederick Granville
cast
Dan - Ronald Hines
Edmund - Brian Blessed
Margaret - Honor Blackman
Rachael - Margo Mayne
((started 3rd April 19
75)
Rachael - Anna Cropper
(started 9th April 19
75)VENUE: COMEDY THEATRe, LONDON
2nd April – 10th May 1975
Mary Ure died directly after the first night. her role was taken over initially by her understudy and then by the role’s TV originator,Anna Cropper..
Production Gallery
Love for Love...the play that never was
In 1974, actress glenn Close was hired by the New Phoenix Repertory Theatre for a season on Broadway. She was to have tiny roles in the company's three productions and understudy the female leads. Close was understudying the beautiful and accomplished English actress Mary Ure.
In her younger days, Ure had been the toast of London and had been married to John Osborne and had since married Robert Shaw. After a decade of near obscurity, she was hoping to make a comeback.
When the company was out of town in Philadelphia, Ure had problems remembering her lines and was having upsetting confrontations with their director, Hal Prince. In New York,
in Broadway previews, things got worse. After the last Saturday matinee before opening, Prince made the decision to fire Ure.
Close, in the time between the matinee and evening performances, got fitted in a costume and performed the role that evening. As she was preparing in her dressing room before the show, Close received a note from Ure which said, "It is a tradition in the English theatre for one leading lady to welcome the next leading lady into her dressing room. I learned this when I was very young and making my debut at the Haymarket. I was surprised to find a letter for me from Dame Peggy Ashcroft, who had just closed after a long run. I salute you and welcome you. Be brave and strong. Mary Ure."
When the run was over Close went back to her fifth floor dressing room and resumed life as an understudy. The following spring, Ure died. Close says she has never forgotten Ure's choice of words, "Be brave and strong."
bottom of page