Louise Petherbridge

Louise Durant Petherbridge QSO (née Harris; 11 May 1931 – 18 January 2024) was a New Zealand actor, director, deviser, producer and lecturer.

Petherbridge in 2019, with a statue of Beatrice

Early life

Petherbridge was born Louise Durant Harris in Dunedin on 11 May 1931.^[1] She was educated at St Hilda's Collegiate School and the University of Otago, graduating in 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She was an active member of the Otago University Drama Society (OUDS), and also appeared in plays for the Dunedin Repertory Society, including Aldous Huxley's The Gioconda Smile (1949).^[2]

In 1953, Harris won a New Zealand Government Drama Bursary, which allowed her to study for two years at the Northern Theatre School in Bradford, under Esmé Church.^[3][4] A fellow student was Edward Petherbridge, and the two married in 1957.^[5]

Career

Petherbridge acted in weekly and fortnightly rep with companies including Lincoln Theatre Rep and Ipswich Rep (under director Peter Coe), playing Alison in the first out-of-London production of John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in August 1957.^[6] She also played the title role in The Diary of Anne Frank at Ipswich Rep early in 1958, again directed by Coe,^[7] amongst other plays.

In 1958, Petherbridge (with her husband) returned to New Zealand to spend eighteen months touring with the New Zealand Players under Stafford Byrne. She played the lead, Clarissa Hailsham-Brown, in Agatha Christie's The Spider's Web,^[8] and Gwendolen Fairfax in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.^[9] Edward Petherbridge played Algernon Moncrieff in this production, and Stafford Byrne's wife, English actor Barbara Leake, played Lady Bracknell. Both shows toured the country during 1958 - 59, following which the Petherbridges performed with the NZ Players Drama Quartet,^[10] giving 150 schools performances during 1959, one of which Edward recalls in his autobiography.^[11]

The Petherbridges returned to England, where Louise later gave birth to their son David, and continued her career, including a brief period working for Noël Coward. She returned to New Zealand in the mid 1970s, after she and Edward separated, divorcing in 1980. She has had a long and outstanding career as an actor, producer, writer/deviser and director in New Zealand.

Petherbridge's many theatre acting roles after her return to New Zealand include: Amanda in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, 1977, Fortune Theatre, Dunedin, at the Athenaeum, directed by Murray Hutchinson;^[12] Eleanor of Aquitaine in James Goldman's The Lion in Winter 1980, Fortune Theatre, director Alex Gilchrist;^[13] Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, 1981, Fortune Theatre, directed by Anthony Richardson;^[14] Stephanie Abrahams in Tom Kempinski's Duet For One, Fortune Theatre, director Anthony Richardson;^[15] Judith Bliss in Noël Coward's Hay Fever, 1984, Centrepoint Theatre, Palmerston North, directed by Stuart Devenie;^[16] Madame de Rosemonde in Christopher Hampton's Les Liaisons Dangereueses, 1986, Fortune Theatre, director Lisa Warrington; Lila in Michelanne Forster's Songs My Mother Taught Me, 1994, Court 2, Christchurch, director Brian Bell;^[17] multiple roles in Giles Havergal's adaptation of Graham Greene's Travels With My Aunt, 2000, Fortune Theatre, director Hilary Norris;^[18] Auntie in Morris Panych's Auntie and Me, 2005, Fortune Theatre, director Lisa Warrington.^[19]

Selected plays and productions

• 1974: Played Katherine Mansfield in Brian McNeill's The Two Tigers (Fortune Theatre at the Athenaeum, director Murray Hutchinson). "Louise Petherbridge gave quite a superb performance as Katherine. So fluid in speech and movement, she was delicate or brave as required..."^[20]
• 1976: Director/co-adaptor (with Rowena Cullen), The Tempest, a Bunraku puppet-style adaptation of Shakespeare's play, initially at the Globe Theatre, Dunedin,^[21] and in 1978 at the Court Theatre, Christchurch.^[22]
• 1978: Director/artistic director, Orlando, an adaptation of Virginia Woolf's novel (John Drummond composer, Shona Dunlop choreographer) for Dunedin Dance Theatre as a contemporary masque, encompassing music, dance and drama. At Playhouse Theatre, Dunedin. "We do not presume to interpret Virginia Woolf's brilliant novel entire. This is simply a montage inspired by it."^[23]
• 1981: Director/co-creator While Grandmother Played Bridge for Dunedin Dance Theatre, at Dunedin Teachers College Auditorium, choreographer Shona Dunlop. Inspired by a short story by the Austrian emigre Dr Nicholas Zisserman, it sought to recreate the mood in Austria prior to and during the Nazi takeover as perceived by the young Nicholas.^[24] Performers included Petherbridge's son David as Young Nicholas, Honor McKellar, Jan Bolwell, Terry MacTavish, Carol Brown and others.
• 1981: Actor (Lady Bracknell), Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, Fortune Theatre, Dunedin, director Rawiri Paratene.^[25]
• 1982: Actor/script commissioner, The Perfumed Business Woman by Brian McNeill (playwright) and John Drummond (composer), Fortune Theatre, Dunedin, director Anthony Richardson. A solo play about Mata Hari.^[26]
• 1991: Director/deviser, with Edwin Carr (music), Coup De Folie, a piece about NZ writer and teacher Sylvia Ashton-Warner (played by Terry MacTavish). Manhattan Theatre, Dunedin. Choreography by Shona Dunlop.^[27]
• 2007: Actor (Miss Helen), Athol Fugard's The Road To Mecca, at the Globe Theatre, Dunedin, directed by Lisa Warrington.^[28]

Film and television

Petherbridge made some film and television appearances. Short films include Cake Tin (2006), directed by Rosemary Riddell^[29] and Dream-Makers (1992), written and directed by Robert Sarkies.^[30]

Petherbridge appeared in two episodes of Beyond the Law for TVNZ, in one of which she played con-artist Amy Bock, aka 'Percy Redwood'.

Death

Petherbridge died at her home in Dunedin, on 18 January 2024, at the age of 92.^[31]

Honours and awards

In the 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours, Petherbridge was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for community service.^[32] In 2012, she received a lifetime achievement award at the Dunedin Theatre Awards.^[33] In 2014, she was awarded a New Zealand Theatre Services honour medal.^[34]

References

1. "In memory of Louise Durant Petherbridge". Tributes Online. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
2. "Huxley's Drama". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 24 November 1949. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
3. "This New Zealander has no illusions". The Stage (UK). 20 March 1958. p. 14.
4. Lang, William (15 February 1954). "Actors learn their art at a Bradford school". The Yorkshire Post and Leeds Mercury. p. 7.
5. "Petherbridge, Louise Durant, 1931-". Petherbridge, Louise Durant, 1931- | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
6. "Article". Ipswich Evening Star. 16 August 1957.
7. "'Anne Frank' message underlined (review)". The Stage. 27 February 1958. p. 9.
8. "Review". Hawkes Bay Herald Tribune. 4 October 1958.
9. "Review". Otago Daily Times. 16 February 1959.
10. "Drama Quartet visit Masterton". Wairarapa Times. 12 June 1959.
11. Petherbridge, Edward (2011). Slim Chances and Unscheduled Appearances. Indepenpress Pub. pp. 71–72. ISBN 978-1-78003-125-5. OCLC 751725181.
12. A.K.H. (4 July 1977). "'Glass Menagerie' a fine production". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
13. Ackerley, Chris (March 1981). "1980 Survey: Fortune Theatre Company". ACT Magazine, NZ. 6 (1): 8 – via Theatre Aotearoa.
14. Ackerley, C.J. (September 1981). "Romeo and Juliet (review)". ACT Magazine, NZ. 6: 54 – via Theatre Aotearoa.
15. A.K.H. [Keith Harrison] (19 February 1982). "Thoughtful play has N.Z.premiere". Otago Daily Times.
16. Barton, Warren (March 1984). "Full justice for Coward". Retrieved 28 July 2021.
17. de la Bere, Imogen (13 June 1994). "'Songs My Mother Taught Me' at the Court Theatre". Christchurch Press.
18. Frame, Barbara (19 August 2000). "Travels amiably portrayed by accomplished quartet". Otago Daily Times.
19. Till, Francis (18 February 2005). "Farcical farrago turns tender". National Business Review, NZ.
20. P.J.S. (7 September 1974). "'Two Tigers' tamed by Fortune actors". Otago Daily Times. p. 3.
21. McGovern, Anna (12 February 1977). "A not-so-tiny Tempest". New Zealand Listener – via Theatre Aotearoa.
22. "Louise Petherbridge". Theatre Aotearoa.
23. Programme note, Orlando, 1978, Playhouse Theatre, Dunedin
24. McDonald, Alister (October 1981). "While Grandmother Played Bridge (review)". ACT Magazine (NZ). 6, (8): 64–65 – via Theatre Aotearoa.
25. A.K.H. (16 October 1981). "Elegant presentation (review)". Otago Daily Times.
26. McDonald, Alister (4 August 1982). "The Perfumed Business Woman (review)". ACT Magazine, NZ. 7 (4): 44 – via Theatre Aotearoa.
27. Beresford, Rosemary (8 April 1991). "Writers' week". NZ Listener. 129 (2663): 59 – via Theatre Aotearoa.
28. Frame, Barbara (1 September 2007). "Sensitive and highly intelligent performances". Theatreview. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
29. "Cake Tin". IMDB. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
30. Sarkies, Robert (1992). "Dream-Makers". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
31. "Louise Petherbridge obituary". The Press. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
32. "The Queen's Birthday Honours List 2000 (including Special List for East Timor)". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 5 June 2000. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
33. Benson, Nigel (12 December 2012). "Free-entry 'Play' earns theatre awards". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
34. McAvinue, Shawn (17 December 2014). "Theatre puts on its own awards". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 28 July 2021.