In celebration of Sam Wanamaker’s centenary

14 June 2019 21:47

Shakespeare’s Globe is today celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of its founder, Sam Wanamaker CBE. The theatre has been sharing insights about the life and career of Zoë’s dad, who was an accomplished actor and director, on social media. You can join the discussion and share your own memories by using the hashtag #Wanamaker100.

Yesterday, The Globe’s companion theatre, the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, hosted the annual Sam Wanamaker Fellowship Lecture, which was introduced by the Director of Education, Patrick Spottiswoode. Fittingly, the subject was Zoe's dad himself. The Deputy Chair of Shakespeare’s Globe Council, Dr Diana Devlin, addressed an enthusiastic audience - including many people who had known Sam Wanamaker and are involved with The Globe - about his many achievements in theatre.

Having been a long-time friend and colleague of Zoë’s dad, Dr Devlin spoke knowledgeably about his commitment to ‘believable, meaningful’ performances and talent for inspiring other performers. His vision and attention to detail led to a new dawn in British theatre during the fifties.

Dr Devlin pointed out that Sam Wanamaker’s desire to rebuild Shakespeare’s Globe on London's south bank didn’t stem solely from his awareness of the historical significance of our greatest writer’s theatre. Zoë’s dad felt that the open-air performance space, supported by an indoor Jacobean-style theatre, educational work and related activities, would also have immense value as a community arts hub.

As Dr Devlin explained, Sam Wanamaker was convinced that plays performed in a recognisably Shakespearean theatre would ‘speak powerfully and directly to a modern playgoer’. And, of course, he’s been proved right.

The launch of Sam Wanamaker's first biography

Zoë was joined by her elder sister, Abby, at the special event. In addition to the lecture, the evening saw the launch of the first full-length, illustrated biography of its subject. Sam Wanamaker: A Global Performer has been written by Dr Devlin and is published by performing arts specialist Oberon Books.

As its author emphasised, the book aims to highlight Sam Wanamaker’s work on stage and screen, in addition to celebrating his tireless struggle to rebuild Shakespeare’s theatre.

That struggle is something the actor Keith Baxter remembers well. The Telegraph has today republished his poignant account of his friendship with Sam Wanamaker, written in 1996.

'It is difficult to express how much pleasure it was just to be with him,' Baxter writes. 'And no-one could be with him for a moment without being swept away by his enthusiasm, by his passionate conviction that he had been vouchsafed a task which must be completed, no matter what it cost.'

The Globe's 22nd anniversary

The centenary of Sam Wanamaker’s birth comes just days after The Globe marked another milestone: its 22nd anniversary. On 12 June 1997, Zoë became the first person to speak on the stage. During the official opening ceremony, she performed the Prologue to Henry V in the presence of the Queen and Prince Philip, as featured in the documentary below.

The anniversary reminds me of this lovely photo of Zoë and her dad from 1992, which The Globe shared online a couple of years ago. They’re pictured in the Forest of Dean alongside one of the oak trees that would be used to build the theatre, which is nicknamed the Wooden O.

Fundraising for The Globe's future

As well as looking back over its founder’s achievements and 22 years of amazing productions, Shakespeare’s Globe is looking to the future. The theatre has launched the Sam Wanamaker centenary fundraising campaign, with the aim of raising £100,000 to continue the incredible work its founder began for the benefit of the millions of theatregoers it entertains and inspires.

Zoë appears in this short video designed to raise awareness of the campaign, celebrating her dad’s achievements and thanking those who support The Globe.

If you’d like to play a part in the theatre’s future, you can make a donation on Shakespeare’s Globe’s website.

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