14 Facts About Jocelyn Herbert

Jocelyn Herbert RDI was a British stage designer.

Jocelyn Herbert began her artistic training in Paris under the painter Andre Lhote.

Jocelyn Herbert then continued her education at the Slade School of Art, London where she trained in theatre design before joining the London Theatre Studio in 1936 where her theatre designs were used in the Studio's theatrical experiments.

World War II interrupted this final stage of training, leading Jocelyn Herbert to concentrate on her family life.

The Court attracted a hub of writers and Jocelyn Herbert worked on new material by the playwrights John Arden, Arnold Wesker, John Osborne, Samuel Beckett and David Storey.

Jocelyn Herbert then moved on to the National Theatre under the director, actor and producer Laurence Olivier at the Old Vic, an association that led to her being invited by Olivier to join the Committee planning the National's new building on London's South Bank and over which she exerted considerable influence on the shaping of the auditoria.

Jocelyn Herbert's designs were characterised by simplicity to draw attention to the actors and the writing.

Jocelyn Herbert created acting spaces on stage by using lighting that highlighted different areas of the stage.

Jocelyn Herbert fostered an artistic policy of close collaboration with script and playwrights and directors; Devine championed this method of collaborative working at the Court.

Jocelyn Herbert's tryptic working methods brought the designer, directors and authors of plays and productions closer together.

Jocelyn Herbert later worked at the Paris Opera House and the Metropolitan Opera, New York.

Jocelyn Herbert had one marriage, to the Arts administrator Anthony Baruh Lousada.

Jocelyn Herbert died on 6 May 2003, in Long Sutton, Hampshire.

The Jocelyn Herbert Award was established after her death and was given until 2007 by the Linbury Trust and by Jocelyn Herbert's family to the candidate epitomising her belief in theatre.