{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1777690"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1777690/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1777690","accessionNumber":"S.730-2024","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Photograph by Angus McBean of the duel scene in Hamlet, Old Vic Company 1958","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Margaret Courtenay (1923-1996) was a member of the Old Vic Company's 1957-1958 season when in September 1957 she played the player queen in Shakespeare's <i>Hamlet</i> in the Old Vic Company production directed by Michael Benthall that opened for a week at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool with Judi Dench as Ophelia, before opening in London at the Old Vic. In June 1958 Courtenay replaced Coral Browne as Queen Gertrude, and played the role on the company's 1958-1959 North American tour, when Barbara Jefford played Ophelia. The production starred John Neville as Hamlet, and was designed by Audrey Cruddas.\n\nThe three and a half hour virtually uncut 1957 <i>Hamlet </i>was part of the last year of artistic director Michael Benthall's five-year plan to stage the entire Shakespeare canon at the Old Vic. ","physicalDescription":"John Neville as Hamlet and John Humphry as Laertes duelling on the King and Queen's thrones, surrounded by members of the court including Margaret Courtenay as Queen Gertrude and Oliver Neville as King Claudius","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"McBean, Angus","id":"A16103"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"x43821"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Photograph on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"FWK10","id":"THES49145"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1958","earliest":"1958-01-01","latest":"1958-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Julian Courtenay","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"20.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"24.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"John Neville (1925-2011) as Hamlet and John Humphry (1927-007) as Laertes with Margaret Courtenay (1923-1996) as Queen Gertrude in the duel scene in Shakespeare's <i>Hamlet</i>, Old Vic Theatre 1958, and on the Old Vic Company's North American tour, 1958-1959. Photograph by Angus McBean (1904-1990)","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.730-2024"],"accessionNumberNum":"730","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2024,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-19","recordCreationDate":"2024-04-02","availableToBook":true}}