This seat is a reclaimed chair from the St. James's Theatre in London. Established in 1835, the theatre was located in the St. James district of Westminster, London’s West End. Vivien Leigh had performed at the theatre in the very earliest stages of her career when the play which initially brought her public recognition, The Mask of Virtue, was transferred to the St James’s from the Ambassadors Theatre in 1935.
Whilst many notable actors were associated with the venue, Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier formed a distinct bond with the theatre when they leased it in 1949 and took over management in 1950. The St. James’s housed their productions of George Bernard Shaw’s Caesar and Cleopatra and Shakespeare’s Anthony and Cleopatra which the couple produced as part of the government-funded national celebrations of Festival of Britain.
Vivien Leigh spearheaded a campaign to save the venue, which involved public marches and protests, and a verbal protest at the House of Lords. In spite of her efforts, the theatre was closed in July 1957.
The reclaimed seat housed at Topsham Museum was recently reupholstered.
Whilst many notable actors were associated with the venue, Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier formed a distinct bond with the theatre when they leased it in 1949 and took over management in 1950. The St. James’s housed their productions of George Bernard Shaw’s Caesar and Cleopatra and Shakespeare’s Anthony and Cleopatra which the couple produced as part of the government-funded national celebrations of Festival of Britain.
Vivien Leigh spearheaded a campaign to save the venue, which involved public marches and protests, and a verbal protest at the House of Lords. In spite of her efforts, the theatre was closed in July 1957.
The reclaimed seat housed at Topsham Museum was recently reupholstered.
| Subject | Vivien Leigh |
|---|---|
| Source | Topsham Museum |
| Date | 2019-06-25 |
| Format | Photograph |
| Type | Theatre history |
| Coverage | 1950s |