1. Marda Vanne performed as Scrappy van Hulsteyn in her early stage career in South Africa, before heading to London.
12 Facts About Marda Vanne
1. 2.
In 1914, Vanne met Isaac Rosenberg in Cape Town, who was on a visit to South Africa.
3.
Marda Vanne took a shine to her and drew a charcoal sketch of her.
4.
Marda Vanne gave her a copy of his poem "If You Are Fire, and I Am Fire" and wrote a number of passionate love-poems at the time, which seem to have been inspired by her.
5.
Marda Vanne moved to London to build on her acting career and studied speech training and drama under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Drama, then based at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
6.
Marda Vanne performed on Broadway in Noel Coward's Easy Virtue, directed by Dean, and Many Waters by Monckton Hoffe.
7.
Marda Vanne became a good friend of Alec Waugh, the brother of Evelyn Waugh.
8.
Alec noted in one of his books that Marda Vanne tended to be cast in supporting roles.
9.
In London, Marda Vanne formed a professional and personal partnership with the actress Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies that lasted until her death in 1970.
10.
Marda Vanne appeared as Madame Arcati in a production of Blithe Spirit in Johannesburg, and she and Ffrangcon-Davies brought their production of The Merry Wives of Windsor to the Alhambra Theatre in Cape Town in 1945.
11.
In 1950, Vanne directed an Afrikaans translation of Grumpy, by Horace Hodges and T Wigney Percyval called Oupa Brompie for the National Theatre Organisation of South Africa.
12.
Marda Vanne was the partner for many decades of British actress Dame Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies.