The Papers of Dame Janet Suzman contain a fascinating insight into the work of one of our leading Shakespeare actors and directors. Her seminal performances, groundbreaking productions, no-nonsense approach to theatre critics and ability to make her point in published writing establish her place in theatrical history.
Born in 1939 in Johannesburg, South Africa Janet Suzman joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford in the 1960s and played roles including Rosalind in ‘As You Like It’ opposite Patrick Stewart, Beatrice in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ opposite Alan Howard and Katharina in ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ opposite Michael Williams whose gift of a miniature copy of the play is in the collection. She played Cleopatra in ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ opposite Alan Howard – still regarded today as a landmark production, directed by Trevor Nunn. Charles Lewsen in ‘The Times’ said ‘she presents Cleopatra’s caprice with immense relish and wit; and last night, as her eyes glazed in a moment that communicated the sudden stopping of her pulse, I was held in something like awe.’ (16 August 1972, p.13). Charles Spencer in the Daily Telegraph described it as ‘one of the greatest Shakespeare performances I have ever witnessed’ (18 October 2010, p. 31).
Janet Suzman did not have much time for the critics – her copy of the programme for ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1979 contain a series of envelopes from the International Press Cutting Bureau, still sealed shut and Janet Suzman has written on one ‘I never read these reviews – prob just as well!’
Duchess of Malfi programme (reference: DSH31/1/13).
In 1987 Janet Suzman directed ‘Othello’ at the Market Theatre in her native Johannesburg with John Kani in the title role, the first black actor to play Othello in South Africa, then still under the apartheid regime. We have the script for this production as well as notes, newspaper reviews and photographs. We also have audio and video recordings of documentaries about the production and the film of the production, released in 1988. The collection includes a collar worn by Othello, fashioned by Janet Suzman from a letter opener belonging to her mother. The concealed dagger was used in a key moment in the play. The collar is currently featured in an exhibition at the University of Birmingham – A History Through Objects: Research and Innovation at the University of Birmingham, scheduled to run until September 2023. The production has featured in several critical works and there are copies in the collection of Othello (Shakespeare in performance) by Lois Potter, Othello (Sourcebooks Shakespeare) edited by David Bevington, Barbara Gaines and Peter Holland, Othello edited by Julie Hankey and DVDs of Open University teaching materials.
Othello DVD and script (references: DSH31/2/12/8 and DSH31/2/3).
In 2005 Janet Suzman directed Hamlet which premiered at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival and then transferred to the Baxter Theatre Centre at the University of Cape Town. The archive shows the evolution of the production from copies of the play annotated with cuts and notes to versions of the script, correspondence with the designer Peter Cazalet, notes about the programme design which featured work by the artist Karel Nel, copies of the finished programme, newspaper reviews and letters to Janet Suzman commenting on the production.
Tragically, just before the production transferred to Stratford-upon-Avon the actor playing Guildenstern, Brett Goldin, was murdered in a carjacking in South Africa. The collection includes a handmade card from him with a South African chocolate coin attached which Janet Suzman kept with a photograph of the young actor.
Hamlet theatre programme and newspaper article about murdered actor (reference: DSH31/3/10).
Janet Suzman returned to the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2007 to play Volumnia in Coriolanus directed by Gregory Doran. It was the final play in the main theatre before a major refurbishment and redesign of the interior.
The collection includes a programme, publicity material and a script which shows the difference between an actor’s script, with their speeches highlighted and notes and business relating to their performance, and a director’s script with a much wider view of the play.
Coriolanus programme (reference: DSH31/4/3) and Coriolanus script (reference: DSH31/4/2).
In 2010 Janet Suzman directed Antony and Cleopatra at the Liverpool Playhouse. Cleopatra was played by Kim Cattrall, most famous for appearing in the television and film series Sex and the City but also a native of Liverpool. Michael Billington in The Guardian said the production showed ‘rare perspicacity’ (16 October, page 50).
Antony and Cleopatra programme (reference: DSH31/6/11) and Antony and Cleopatra photograh (reference: DSH31/6/12).
The collection contains plenty of evidence that Janet Suzman does not shy away from argument. In 1987 the first issue of the journal Shakespeare in Southern Africa published a review of her Othello. Her copy is covered in pencil notes ‘Why?’, ‘eg?’, ‘not true’ and so on, and the next issue contained her reply which the editor was keen to publish. In 1999 she wrote to Benedict Nightingale of The Times in reply to his article surveying famous Cleopatras. Her opening line is ‘Of course I get the tenor of your article on Cleopatra, as it sweeps through the ages kneecapping people left right and centre before finally settling on a somewhat debateable conclusion.’ Nightingale’s friendly reply, agreeing with much of what she wrote, is also in the collection. She also wrote about the so-called ‘authorship question’ – whether William Shakespeare wrote the works ascribed to him. Her book Not Hamlet contains her essay ‘A Rogue Prologue: a Heartfelt Plea for a bit of Common Sense’ arguing it was not the Earl of Oxford. She has also preserved in the collection a response by Trevor Nunn, her former husband, to a piece by the actor Mark Rylance claiming it was Francis Bacon. She even enclosed a ’Note to Librarians’ explaining the context for future researchers.
Books by Janet Suzman: Acting with Shakespeare: Three Comedies (reference: DSH31/7/1), Antony and Cleopatra (reference: DSH31/7/8) and a copy of Not Hamlet (classmark: PR 2991).