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  • Additional papers of Robert Medley
  • Material relating to Rupert Doone

Additional papers of Robert Medley

[c.1903]–1984

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Charles Robert Owen Medley CBE, RA, (1905-94), known as Robert Medley, was an English artist who painted in both abstract and figurative styles, and who also worked as a theatre designer. Robert Medley studied art at the Slade School of Fine Art and then completed his training by spending two years in Paris from 1926 to 1928. In 1926 Medley had first met his partner with whom he spent the rest of this life with, dancer, choreographer and theatre director, Rupert Doone (1903-66). It was the beginning of a long and loving relationship, and one in which inspired and nourished their artistic talents. Doone was born in Worcestershire in 1903. He left home penniless at age 16 to pursue his passion for dance as a career, travelling first to London and later Paris, where he became the protégé and lover of Jean Cocteau. Together, Doone and Medley founded the Group Theatre in 1931. This experimental group allowed Doone the opportunity to explore what he considered theatre should really concern itself with; to 'put art first as a way of discovering truth' and commit to 'total theatre' with a focus on poetic drama. The group strove to work closely with writers, artists and musicians and a 1934 performance of The Dance of Death written by W.H Auden was a controversial success. T.S. Eliot, Christopher Isherwood and Stephen Spender would all later write plays for the group to work with. These photographs show the group engaging in free improvisation at their summer school in Suffolk as well as in costume for a number of their productions. This collection compliments an earlier collection, TGA 894 (also digitised), which contains photographs of Robert Medley and further photographs of the Group Theatre.

Collection Owner
Collection
Tate Archive
Acquisition
Gift from Susie Medley, executrix of the estate of Robert Medley.
Reference
TGA 953

36 objects in this collection

  • Additional papers of Robert Medley

    36 Objects

    • Material relating to Rupert Doone

      12 Objects

    • Material relating to Robert Medley

      6 Objects

    • Material relating to the Group Theatre

      18 Objects

Title
Material relating to Rupert Doone
Date
1903–82
Description
This series contains additional material on the life and work of Rupert Doone further to the archive given by Robert Medley to the Tate Gallery in 1989 (TGA 894). Including correspondence, printed programmes and writings relating to his dance career and productions that he was involved in during his time as director of the Morley College Theatre School, as well as press cuttings and photographs of him, which are not related to the Group Theatre.
Reference
TGA 953/1

Showing 12 objects

Photograph of Rupert Doone as a baby with his parents

Unknown artist
[1903–4]
View by appointment

Studio photograph of [Rupert Doone] and two other children

Unknown artist
[c.1905–10]
View by appointment

Photograph of Rupert Doone as a boy in costume, with five other children

Unknown artist
[c.1910s]
View by appointment

Photograph of Rupert Doone as a young man

Unknown artist
June 1921
View by appointment

Photograph of Rupert Doone

Unknown artist
1923
View by appointment

Photographs of Rupert Doone by Ursula Hartleben

Ursula Hartleben
date not known
View by appointment

Photograph of Rupert Doone leaning against a tree

Unknown artist
date not known
View by appointment

Portrait photograph of Rupert Doone

Unknown artist
date not known
View by appointment

Publicity photographs of Rupert Doone in various productions

Unknown artist
[1921–36]
View by appointment

Photographs of Rupert Doone in costume

Unknown artist
[1920s–1930s]
View by appointment

Mounted photographs of Rupert Doone by Ramsey and Muspratt, Cambridge

Estate of Ramsey and Muspratt, 1932-1978 (Peterborough, UK)
[1936]
View by appointment

Mounted photographs of Rupert Doone posing in costume by Ramsay and Muspratt, Cambridge

Estate of Ramsey and Muspratt, 1932-1978 (Peterborough, UK)
[1936]
Artwork
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