Helen Blatch Explained

Helen Christine Blatch (née Wilson; 24 January 1934 – 31 December 2015)[1] was a British actress on stage and screen, best remembered on screen for her roles in Doctor Who (in the serials The Deadly Assassin and The Twin Dilemma) and The Practice, and on stage for her casting as "Cerimon, a lord of Ephesus", in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 1989–1990 performance of Pericles.

Career

Born in Southampton, Hampshire, Blatch trained at The Questors Student Group Course, finishing in 1958,[2] and performed with the Questors for some years afterwards.[3] She spent some years in repertory, working with directors such as Sam Walters, David Scase, David Thacker and Phyllida Lloyd. Her performances attracted positive reviews ("Miss Blatch .. is capable of an extraordinary tranquillity of both voice and manner, against which slight nuances of intonation or expression register with great effect"; "Helen Blatch captures perfectly the fragility and neuroses of the regressing morphine addict living in a dream of the past"; "Helen Blatch is strong and striking ... Her wit is waspish, her frailty acute, her quest for affection chilling.")

She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1989, and, in her first season there, was described by one reviewer as "a find". Her casting as Cerimon, "a lord of Ephesus", in Shakespeare's Pericles was considered by one contemporary reviewer as "a brilliant stroke, for Cerimon (Helen Blatch) becomes a healer whose urgent goodness and brightly pitched grief has us eating magic from her hand." Another reviewer said "this presentation of power within gentleness, strength within femininity, was profoundly impressive."[4]

A 2004 survey of performances of Pericles said "Helen Blatch brought to the part a combination of compassionate humanity and priestly authority", and commented, "In a virtuoso piece of doubling, Helen Blatch went on to play the Bawd in brothel scenes that were positively Hogarthian in their fetid realism; by having one actress play parts so different, Thacker emphasized the way in which Pericles ... brings together contrasting extremes: here, .. juxtaposed in a single performer." Since Blatch's performance, Cerimon has often been cast as female.[5]

Blatch appeared in many other classic and modern plays. For her role in Sir Peter Shaffer's The Gift of the Gorgon, she learned Greek from a 'How to Speak Greek' tape and tourist guidebook. Her performance in Sir David Hare's Racing Demon as "Espy's understandably unhappy wife" was particularly noted as "affecting ... their final scene of clenched and frigid misery sends a shiver down the spine." She appeared in films also (including different roles in two versions of A Doll's House) and in many TV series. Her longest-enduring television role was as Nora Madkay in the ITV series The Practice, but she is perhaps best known for her two roles in Doctor Who: the voice of the Matrix in the 1976 serial The Deadly Assassin, and Fabian in the 1984 serial The Twin Dilemma.

Selected stage performances

Year Title Theatre Role Director
1966 Hecabe Questors Theatre, Ealing Polyxena Alan Clarke[6]
1968 Beware of the Dog She Peter Jefferies[7] [8]
1971 Tree Little Theatre Club, Garrick Yard Derek Oldfield[9]
1973 Night King's Head Theatre, Islington The Woman Sam Walters[10] [11]
1977 The Island Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond Dee Roger Swaine[12] [13] [14]
1980 Past Tense Library Theatre, Manchester David Scase[15]
1980 Love's Old Sweet Song Library Theatre, Manchester Nan Alan Meadows[16]
1981 The Importance of Being Earnest Duke's Playhouse, Lancaster Lady Bracknell David Thacker[17]
1982 Long Day's Journey into Night Duke's Playhouse, Lancaster Mary Tyrone David Thacker[18]
1983 Just Between Ourselves Christopher Honer[19]
1984 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead Theatr Clwyd, Mold Gertrude George Roman[20]
1986 The Cheeky Chappie Library Theatre, Manchester Howard Lloyd-Lewis[21]
1986 Julius Caesar The Young Vic Calphurnia David Thacker[22] [23]
1987 Just Between Ourselves Phyllida Lloyd[24]
1987 Cider With Rosie Martin Houghton[25]
1988 Tom and Viv Library Theatre, Manchester Rose Chris Honer[26]
1988 Noises Off Martin Houghton[27]
1988 Woman In Mind Library Theatre, Manchester Susan [28]
1989 Pericles Cerimon; Bawd David Thacker[29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35]
1989 The Duchess of Malfi Swan Theatre, Stratford Midwife Bill Alexander[36]
1990 Earwig The Pit, Barbican Centre, London Martha Ron Daniels[37]
1990 All's Well That Ends Well Barbican, London Widow Capilet Barry Kyle[38]
1990 Pericles The Pit, Barbican Centre, London Cerimon; Bawd David Thacker[39] [40]
1990 The Duchess of Malfi The Pit, Barbican Centre, London Midwife Bill Alexander[41]
1991 Sex Please, We're Italian! Clotilde Salto David Thacker[42] [43]
1991 The Snow Queen The Young Vic Karen Stephens and Chris White[44]
1992 The Gift of the Gorgon The Pit, Barbican Centre, London Katina Peter Hall[45] [46] [47]
1992 Columbus: The Discovery of Japan Barbican, London Felipe Pinzon John Caird
1993 The Gift of the Gorgon Wyndham's Theatre, London Katina Peter Hall[48]
1993 Live Like Pigs Katie Mitchell[49]
1994 Babies Royal Court Theatre Ivy Williams / Valerie Pinkney Polly Teale[50] [51]
1995 The Knocky Royal Court Theatre Pearl (grandma) Brian Stimer[52]
1995-1996 The Tempest The Young Vic; Swan Theatre, Stratford; UK tour Mariner, Spirit David Thacker[53]
1995 Bingo: Scenes of Money and Death Swan Theatre, Stratford Old Woman David Thacker[54] [55]
1997 Marat/Sade A newly-rich lady Jeremy Sams[56] [57]
1997 Measure for Measure Mistress Overdone and Sister Francisca Stephane Braunschweig[58] [59]
1998 Racing Demon Heather Espy Christopher Morahan[60] [61] [62] [63]
1999 Sitting Pretty Chelsea Centre, London Jacob Murray[64]
2001 Blood Red, Saffron Yellow Daily cleaning woman Jennie Darnell[65]
2002 The Three Sisters Anfisa Sam Walters[66] [67]
2002 Three Sisters Two Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond Anfisa Auriol Smith[68]
2004 Humble Boy Library Theatre, Manchester Mercy Roger Haines[69]
2005 Arsenic and Old Lace Miss Brewster Joseph Alford[70]

Selected filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1973 A Doll's House Helene Patrick Garland, director[71] [72]
1976 Doctor Who - The Deadly Assassin Matrix (voice) Two episodes[73] [74]
1979 Secret Army Simone Borel One episode[75]
1980 Blake's 7 Receptionist One episode[76]
1984 Tenko Mrs. Briggs One episode[77]
1984 Doctor Who - The Twin Dilemma Fabian One episode[78]
1985 The Practice Nora Madkay 12 episodes
1988 Coronation Street Muriel Ashton One episode
1992 A Touch of Frost Annie One episode
1992 A Doll's House Anne-Marie David Thacker, director[79]
1991, 1993, 1997, 2002 The Bill Four characters Four episodes
1993 The Buddha of Suburbia Pyke's Maid Four episodes
1998 The Hello Girls Aunt Helen Two episodes [80] [81] [82]
2001-2010 Doctors Several characters Several episodes[83]

Personal life

Blatch commented in a 2002 interview that she had entered the theatre against her father's wishes.[66] It was announced in January 2018 that Blatch died on 31 December 2015, aged 82.[84] [85]

Notes and References

  1. England and Wales, Death Index, 1989-2018
  2. Web site: Student Group 12 (1958/59). The Questors Theatre Archive. 25 January 2019.
  3. Web site: Search: Helen Blatch. The Questors Theatre Archive. 25 January 2019.
  4. Smallwood. Robert. Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon, 1989 (Part II). Shakespeare Quarterly. Winter 1990. 41. 4. 498. 10.2307/2870780. 2870780.
  5. Endo. Hanako. Cerimon as a Heterodox Early Modern Physician in Pericles (pp. 35-46 of 實踐英文學 (English Literature) journal, Vol. 61). 61. Jissen Women's University institutional repository. 37. 2009.
  6. News: L.G.S. . A Moving 'Hecabe' . 23 January 2019 . The Stage . 10 February 1966 . 18.
  7. News: W.E.H. . Arts Review - Beware of the Dog . 23 January 2019 . Birmingham Daily Post . 13 June 1968 . 6.
  8. News: On this week at Birmingham . 23 January 2019 . The Stage . 27 June 1968 . 16.
  9. News: A New Play . 23 January 2019 . The Stage . 15 April 1971 . 13.
  10. Current Production . The Stage . 23 August 1973 . 19 . 24 January 2019.
  11. News: Brecht One-Acters - Lunchtime . 24 January 2019 . The Stage . 6 September 1973 . 10.
  12. News: Current Production . 23 January 2019 . The Stage . 20 January 1977 . 15.
  13. News: Billington . Michael . Review. Richmond - The Island . 23 January 2019 . The Guardian . 24 January 1977 . London, England . 8.
  14. Web site: The Island (A Male Chauvinist Comedy) . James Saunders - English playwright . 25 January 2019 . 22 October 2005.
  15. Theatre Week . The Stage . 25 September 1980 . 15 . 24 January 2019.
  16. Bruckshaw . Frank . Love's Old Sweet Song . The Stage . 13 November 1980 . 31 . 24 January 2019.
  17. Duke . Robin . Regional Reviews: The Importance of Being Earnest . The Stage . 26 February 1981 . 31 . 24 January 2019.
  18. Duke . Robin . Regional Reviews: Looking at morphine and booze . The Stage . 23 December 1982 . 21 . 24 January 2019.
  19. Regional Production News . The Stage . 28 April 1983 . 12 . 24 January 2019.
  20. News: Price . Cyril . Fresh Approach . 24 January 2019 . Liverpool Echo . 5 October 1984 . 32.
  21. Theatre Week . The Stage . 20 March 1986 . 27 . 24 January 2019.
  22. Production News . The Stage . 4 December 1986 . 32 . 24 January 2019.
  23. Web site: Julius Caesar (1986) . BBA Shakespeare . 25 January 2019 . 2016.
  24. Regional . The Stage . 26 March 1987 . 30 . 24 January 2019.
  25. Regional Productions . The Stage . 21 May 1987 . 9 . 24 January 2019.
  26. Anglesey . Natalie . Regional Reviews: Tom and Viv . The Stage . 5 May 1988 . 18 . 24 January 2019.
  27. Regional . The Stage . 21 July 1988 . 19 . 24 January 2019.
  28. News: Wilks . Carol . Manchester - Woman In Mind . 23 January 2019 . The Guardian . 12 March 1988 . 16.
  29. Book: Shakespeare . William . Wilkins . George . A Reconstructed Text of Pericles, Prince of Tyre . 2004 . Oxford University Press . 9780192814609 . 27–28, 46 . 23 January 2019.
  30. News: Ratcliffe . Michael . Sober sort of magic . 23 January 2019 . The Observer . 17 September 1989 . London, England . 42.
  31. News: Billington . Michael . Out of the great vast . 23 January 2019 . The Guardian . 14 September 1989 . 34.
  32. Book: Dickson . Andrew . The Globe Guide to Shakespeare: The plays, the productions, the life . 2016 . Profile Books . 9781782832478 . 358 . 24 January 2019.
  33. News: Peter . John . An Arden unfit for the fashions of these times . 24 January 2019 . The Sunday Times . 8614 . 17 September 1989 . London, England . C7 (S1).
  34. Fitzgerald . Ann . Regional Reviews: A shore thing . The Stage . 28 September 1989 . 15 . 24 January 2019.
  35. Nelsen . Paul . Reviewed Work: PERICLES by THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY, David Thacker . Shakespeare Bulletin . Winter 1990 . 8 . 1 . 32–33 . 26353491 .
  36. Theatre Week . The Stage . 30 November 1989 . 10 . 24 January 2019.
  37. News: Osborne . Charles . Soapier than soap . 24 January 2019 . The Daily Telegraph . 42008 . 16 July 1990 . London, England . 15.
  38. Theatre Week . The Stage . 29 March 1990 . 10 . 24 January 2019.
  39. Theatre Week . The Stage . 12 April 1990 . 11 . 24 January 2019.
  40. Hepple . Peter . Play Reviews: Lacking in Poetry . The Stage . 26 April 1990 . 11 . 24 January 2019.
  41. Theatre Week . The Stage . 26 April 1990 . 9 . 24 January 2019.
  42. Sex Please, We're Italian! . London Theatre Record . 1991 . 11 . 14–26 . 811–813 . 24 January 2019 . I. Herbert.
  43. Theatre 1 . The Spectator . 1991 . 266-267 . 36 . 24 January 2019 . F.C. Westley . Rosetta's mother Clothilde (Helen Blatch) is a randy, wheelchair-ridden old lady who begs her daughter to buy her a video so she can watch blue movies..
  44. News: Hoyle . Martin . A treat of Freudian fright . 24 January 2019 . The Times . 64193 . 3 December 1991 . London, England . 18.
  45. Production News . The Stage . 10 December 1992 . 12 . 24 January 2019.
  46. Web site: RSC Performances: Blatch, Helen . Shakespeare Birthplace Trust . 24 January 2019.
  47. News: Durrant . Sabine . Speaking in tongues: Some actors only get through a performance with the help of tourist phrase-books, how-to tapes and parrot-fashion phonetics. . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220509/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/speaking-in-tongues-some-actors-only-get-through-a-performance-with-the-help-of-tourist-phrase-books-1456514.html . 2022-05-09 . subscription . live . 25 January 2019 . The Independent . 21 April 1993.
  48. Theatre Week . The Stage . 11 March 1993 . 11 . 24 January 2019.
  49. Production News . The Stage . 14 October 1993 . 10 . 24 January 2019.
  50. Book: Harvey . Jonathan . Babies . 2014 . A&C Black . 9781408155301 . 25 January 2019.
  51. Theatre Week . The Stage . 8 September 1994 . 42 . 24 January 2019.
  52. Gibby . Phil . Theatre Reviews: The Knocky . The Stage . 16 March 1995 . 12 . 24 January 2019.
  53. Book: Lindley . David . Tempest: Shakespeare at Stratford Series (Arden Shakespeare) . 2003 . Cengage Learning EMEA . 9781903436738 . 249 . 23 January 2019.
  54. Book: Plays and Players, Issues 489-500 . 1995 . Hansom Books . 9 . 23 January 2019.
  55. Book: Plays International, Volumes 11-12 . 1995 . Chancery Publications Limited . 15 . 23 January 2019.
  56. Theatre Week . The Stage . 8 May 1997 . 51 . 24 January 2019.
  57. Web site: The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat As Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of The Marquis de Sade (or Marat/Sade) . Theatricalia . 25 January 2019.
  58. Theatre Week . The Stage . 7 August 1997 . 51 . 24 January 2019.
  59. Schwartz-Gastine . Isabelle . STÉPHANE BRAUNSCHWEIG'S MEASURE FOR MEASURE: A (GERMAN AND FRENCH) VIENNA MIDWAY BETWEEN BRITAIN AND ITALY . Linguaculture . 2010 . 2 . 100, 102 . 25 January 2019.
  60. Book: Plays and Players Applause, Issue 526 . 1998 . Mineco Designs . 25 . 23 January 2019.
  61. News: Spencer . Charles . A blessed Demon . https://web.archive.org/web/20160226170120/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4714849/A-blessed-Demon.html . dead . 26 February 2016 . 23 January 2019 . The Telegraph . 11 July 1998.
  62. News: Hewison . Robert . Rest of the week's theatre . 23 January 2019 . The Sunday Times . 9072 . 12 July 1998 . London, England . 16 (S9).
  63. Sell . Michael . Theatre Reviews: Racing Demon . The Stage . 16 July 1998 . 13 . 24 January 2019.
  64. Theatre Week . The Stage . 25 November 1999 . 59 . 24 January 2019.
  65. News: Saddler . Allen . Theatre Review - Plymouth . 23 January 2019 . The Stage . 24 May 2001 . 16.
  66. News: Helen's Double Chekhov Vision . 23 January 2019 . The Stage . 28 March 2002 . 10.
  67. Book: Bainbridge . Beryl . Front Row: Evenings at The Theatre . 2005 . A&C Black . 9780826487872 . 200 . 24 January 2019.
  68. News: Billington . Michael . What the Three Sisters did next - Three Sisters Two . 23 January 2019 . The Guardian . 4 March 2002 . 16.
  69. News: Anglesey . Natalie . Humble Boy . 23 January 2019 . The Stage . 6 May 2004 . 11.
  70. News: Don't Miss; Thursday, August 25 . 23 January 2019 . The Stage . 18 August 2005 . 42.
  71. Book: Gifford . Denis . British Film Catalogue: Two Volume Set - The Fiction Film/The Non-Fiction Film . 2001 . Routledge . 9781317740629 . 2016 . 23 January 2019 . Ref. 13257.
  72. News: What's On - Films ... . 23 January 2019 . Coventry Evening Telegraph . 31 October 1975 . 16.
  73. Book: Muir . John Kenneth . A Critical History of Doctor Who on Television . 2007 . McFarland . 9780786437160 . 249, 345 . 25 January 2019.
  74. Pixley . Andrew . Season Thirteen - or I'm in a Horror Movie, Get Me Out of Here! . Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition 08: The Complete Fourth Doctor . 2004 . One . 26 January 2019.
  75. Web site: Episode 31: Invasions . Le Candide . 25 January 2019.
  76. Web site: Green . Earl . Blake's 7: Powerplay . The LogBook.com . 25 January 2019.
  77. Web site: BBC One London - 28 October 1984 . BBC Genome Project . 25 January 2019.
  78. Book: Campbell . Mark . Doctor Who: The Complete Guide . 2011 . Hachette UK . 9781849018869 . 25 January 2019.
  79. Performance: A Doll's House . 3595 . 66 . The Radio Times . 26 January 2019. 1992-11-19 .
  80. Web site: BBC One London - 23 July 1998 . BBC Genome Project . 25 January 2019.
  81. BBC One London - 6 August 1998 . 3886 . 86 . The Radio Times . 25 January 2019. 1998-07-30 .
  82. New Series . The Stage . 25 June 1998 . 22 . 24 January 2019.
  83. Web site: Doctors - Helen Blatch . BBC Genome Project . 25 January 2019.
  84. http://doctorwhocastandcrew.blogspot.com/search?q=hELEN+bLATCH Doctor Who Cast & Crew Guide: RECENT UPDATES
  85. Web site: Find a will | GOV.UK.

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