Laura Henderson
Laura Henderson | |
|---|---|
 Laura Henderson, 1944 | |
| Born | Laura Forster 6 December 1863 |
| Died | 29 November 1944(aged 80) |
| Spouse | Robert Henderson |
| Children | 1 |
Laura Henderson(6 December 1863 – 29 November 1944) bornLaura Forster,[1]rose to prominence during the 1930s when, as a wealthy and eccentric widow, she founded theWindmill Theatrein London'sGreat Windmill Street,in partnership withVivian van Damm.Under the leadership of Henderson, as owner, and van Damm as manager, the theatre became a British institution, famed for its pioneeringtableaux vivantsof motionless female nudity, and for having "never closed" duringthe Blitz.[2]
At the time of her death in 1944, newspapers described her as "the mother of non-stop variety in London."[3][4][5]
Biography
[edit]Laura Henderson was the well-travelled socialite wife[6]of ajutemerchant, Robert Henderson. The couple lost their only son, Alec Henderson, in 1915, in France, during theFirst World War.Her husband died in 1919, leaving her a wealthy widow.
In 1931, she bought the Palais de Luxe cinema building and hired architect Howard Jones to restyle the interior to create a tiny, one-tier theatre, renamed the Windmill.[7]TheWindmill Theatreopened on 22 June 1931 as aplayhouse,but it was not profitable and soon returned to showing films. Henderson then hiredVivian Van Damm,and they producedRevudeville,a programme of continuous variety with eighteen entertainment acts. This also was a commercial failure. Henderson reportedly lost £26,000 during the theatre's early operation.[8]
They then included nudity to their staging to emulate theFolies Bergèreand theMoulin Rougein Paris.[9]The key element was Van Damm's exploitation of a legal loophole (or zone of tolerance) that nude statues could not be banned on moral grounds, and this led to the legendary "Windmill Girls" who appeared completely nude but stood completely still, so as to emulate nude statuary. The theatre stayed open during World War II despite demands from the government for her to shut it down.[10]
Death
[edit]Upon her death on 30 November 1944,[11][12][13]Henderson bequeathed the Windmill to "My Dear Bop", Vivian Van Damm. In his 1952 autobiography, Van Damm described her as "a great strain on one's nerves, patience and tact".[14]
In popular culture
[edit]Laura Henderson was portrayed byJudi Denchin the 2005 filmMrs Henderson Presents,for which Dench was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Actress.The film was later adapted into a stagemusical.[15]
In 2016, Henderson was portrayed byTracie Bennettin the stage adaptation of the film, which opened at theNoël Coward Theatre.[16]
References
[edit]- ^Laura Henderson biographyaccessed 1-1-2016
- ^"Windmill Theatre Owner Is Dead."Kingston, Canada:The Kingston Whig-Standard,30 November 1944, p. 19 (subscription required).
- ^"Mrs. Laura Henderson: Famous Stage Figure Dead."Birmingham, England:Birmingham Gazette,30 November 1944, p. 3 (subscription required).
- ^Laura Henderson's death notice, in "In Brief."London England:Daily Herald,30 November 1944, p. 3 (subscription required).
- ^"Theatricals' "Fairy Godmother" Is Dead."Newcastle upon Tyne, England:Newcastle Journal,30 November 1944, p. 1 (subscription required).
- ^"Mrs. Laura Henderson: Famous Stage Figure Dead,"Birmingham Gazette,30 November 1944.
- ^"Theatricals'" Fairy Godmother "Is Dead,"Newcastle Journal,30 November 1944.
- ^"Mrs. Laura Henderson: Famous Stage Figure Dead,"Birmingham Gazette,30 November 1944.
- ^"Big Change from Grandma's Time."Edmonton, Canada:The Edmonton Bulletin,4 February 1944, p. 11 (subscription required).
- ^"Windmill Theatre Owner Is Dead,"The Kingston Whig-Standard,30 November 1944.
- ^"Mrs. Laura Henderson: Famous Stage Figure Dead,"Birmingham Gazette,30 November 1944.
- ^Laura Henderson's death notice, in "In Brief,"Daily Herald,30 November 1944.
- ^"Theatricals'" Fairy Godmother "Is Dead,"Newcastle Journal,30 November 1944.
- ^Van Damm, Vivian (1952).Tonight and Every Night(First ed.). Stanley Paul & Co.ASINB001A9M454.
- ^"Stage Version of Mrs. Henderson Presents Will Premiere in Summer 2015".playbill.Playbill.17 October 2014.Retrieved8 September2015.
- ^Wolf, Matt. "Tony Nominee Tracie Bennett on Ignoring Judi Dench, Obsessing Over NYC and Starring in London's Mrs. Henderson Presents."New York, New York: Broadway & Theatre Direct International, 25 February 2016.
External links
[edit]- Rose, Charlie. 'Mrs. Henderson Presents"(video of interview with Judi Dench who portrayed Laura Henderson in the film," Mrs. Henderson Presents. "New York, New York: Charlie Rose LLC, 6 December 2005.