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		BARRY KAY ARCHIVE	London

		Barry Kay - Biography - 1956-1965

Home About Us Biography --> Abstract --> 1932-1955 --> 1956-1965 --> 1966-1975 --> 1976-1986 Design Opus Photography Opus Notes & Texts Homage Ex Operibus Noticeboard Archive Plaza Overview Site Map Links Contact	1955	back to 1932-1955	Bibliographic Notes

	1956	January 10 Première of The Thieves' Carnival; assignment costumes; direction [?], Melbourne University Student Theatre [?], Union House Theatre [?], Melbourne [?]; the opening season lasts from January 10 to October 15, 1956. Although likely, it is not established whether Barry Kay's costume designs were intended for this production. February - duration [?] Barry Kay exhibits his paintings at Peter Bray Gallery, Melbourne; in a statement, dated 30 June 1956, the gallery records the sales of "Decor for a Tableau Vivant", "Three-Fold Decorated Screen" and "Daphnis and Chloe". Spring Kay settles in England, making London his home. Not losing any time in making it known who he is, and in seeking professional introductions hoping to be commissioned to design for the theatre, he writes to Frederick Ashton and The British Council. Their responses are favourable, both granting Kay interviews and the chance to present his portfolio. June 18 Première of Pulcinella; assignment scenery; costumes Phyllidia Law; choreography Elizabeth West after Léonide Massine (Leonide Myasin); Western Theatre Ballet [3.1]; Theatre Royal, Bristol.	Barry Kay always designed at his studio. Here, choreographers and directors would view his set models at various stages of progress and discuss their requirements with him. During the final stages, when set models had been transferred to the theatre, work would continue there in close liaison with the workshops. Whenever Kay worked abroad, he needed to set up temporary work space in or near the theatre. As it takes far more time for theatre workshops to construct the scenery and props than is required by wardrobe and ancillary departments to tailor costumes, the sets and props were always designed first. Occasionally, when suddenly struck by an idea, he would design costumes concurrently. Scribbling an initial design concept on a napkin, a restaurant menu, a discarded envelope, any scrap of paper at hand, or even on the back of a matchbox, was not an uncommon practice of his. In creating costumes, Kay's mother and aunt, both extremely fashion-conscious ladies, were an endless source of inspiration. The way they dressed provided him with a wealth of ideas. They keep recurring in a great number of his character costumes in a variety of ballets he designed. Apart from the extensive research that Kay undertook in designing sets and costumes - by consulting his own and external libraries, archives, collections and museums - he also listened to the ballet and opera music over and over again to get inspired by the mood they convey. An accomplished pianist, he often played the scores himself.

	1957	June 24 Première of The Prisoners; assignment scenery and costumes; choreography Peter Darrel; Western Theatre Ballet; Dartington Festival, Dartington Hall, Devon. The fruiful working retlationship between Peter Darrell and Barry Kay, evolving from designing this production, establishes Kay as principal designer of Western Theatre Ballet for many years to come. July 25 Première of Non Stop; assignment scenery and costumes; choreography Darrell; Western Theatre Ballet; Arts Theatre Club, London. Summer First night of Pulcinella; revival; assignment scenery; costumes Law; choreography West after Massine; Western Theatre Ballet; Dartington Festival [?], Dartington Hall [?], Devon. November 19 Première of Measure for Measure; assignment scenery, costumes and properties; production and direction Margaret Webster; Old Vic Company; Old Vic Theatre, London; 1957-58 season.

	1958	January 21 Upon the recommendation of the play author Charles Landstone, Bryan Bailey - first director of the newly erected Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, to be opened in March of this year - approaches Kay, proposing a meeting to discuss design work in connection with the theatre's inauguration season. Their meeting results in the invitation for Kay to design Picnic, a romance by William Inge. April 14 Première of Picnic; assignment scenery, costumes and properties; direction Peter Dews; Belgrade Theatre Company; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry; first performance in England, first season of the Belgrade's inauguration. July 22 World première of The Unicorn, the Gorgon and the Manticore [3.2]; assignment scenery and costumes; choreography Darrell; New Opera Company; Sadler's Wells Theatre, London; revised version 1962. August 12 - 22 First night, revival of Pulcinella; assignment scenery; costumes Law; choreography West after Massine; Western Theatre Ballet; Lyric Opera House, Hammersmith, London. Month/Day [?] Kay designs projected scenery for Saint Joan; direction Dews [?]; Belgrade Theatre Company; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry.

	1959	April 20 - May 2 Kay exhibits stage and costume designs he created for productions in England over recent years; Brummel's Gallery; South Yarra, Melbourne. November 18 Première of Bal de la Victoire; assignment scenery ans costumes; choreography Darrell; Western Theatre Ballet and Béjart Ballet; Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels. November 18 Première of Chiaroscuro; assignment scenery; costumes Peter Cazalet; choreography Darrell; Western Theatre Ballet; Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels.

Barry Kay at his Mayfair studio in London, ca 1956, matriculated at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and enrolls in arts and design classes to eventually establish himself as a painter, all the same, his fascination with the theatre runs just as deep

Barry Kay at his Mayfair studio in London, ca 1956, exhibiting as a painter and draftsman, continues designing for the theatre. Making a name for himself in both métiers, he attracts the attention of corporate business. He feels equally at home at creating smart promotional advertising art as well as designing sets and costumes for the theatre.

Barry Kay,London 1966, highly talented, internationally acclaimed stage and costume designer, later in his career also distinguished photographer. Designs for ballet, drama, opera and film. International ballet companies and opera houses, theatres.

Barry Kay, London 1971, highly talented, internationally acclaimed stage and costume designer, later in his career also distinguished photographer. Designs for ballet, drama, opera and film. International ballet companies and opera houses, theatres.

Mayfair studio, London ca 1956
photo News Chronicle

Melbourne ca 1965
photo The Herald & Weekly Times

London 1967

London 1971


	1960	April 27 Airing of Bal de la Victoire; BBC, programme "Music for You". May 8 First night of Bal de la Victoire; assignment scenery and costumes; choreography Darrell; Western Theatre Ballet; Royal Court Theatre, London. June 11 - 26 Presentation of Kay's setting for "A Mendelsohn Soireé"; possibly commissioned by stage director Colin Graham; Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Suffolk; Aldeburgh Festival. November 13 Première of Sound Barrier; assignment scenery and costumes; choreography Darrell; Sunday Ballet Club; Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London.	Occasionally, Kay visited other countries to study local architecture and its settings, indigenous dresses as well as equipment and utensils. For on-the-spot orientation and inspiration he travelled to Greece, Morocco and Spain prior to designing the stage and movie versions of Don Quixote, making sketches and taking photographs. He visited Nuremberg in Germany to get the feel of the town for designing the sets for Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. There, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum provided him usually restricted access to original designs for this opera, dating from 1868. Kay always distinguished clearly between the terms 'Première' and 'First Night'. A Première denotes the very first presentation ever of a production with any one company. A First Night refers to a production's presentation following its première with the same company, and either at the same theatre or at another location. The first performance of a revival production, with the same company and at the same theatre where it was premièred previously, would also constitute a First Night.

	1961	March 22 Première of The Cunning Little Vixen; assignment scenery, costumes and properties; direction Colin Graham; conductor Colin Davis; Sadler's Wells Opera Company; Sadler's Wells Theatre, London. September 4 Première of Salade; assignment scenery and/or [?] costumes ; co-designer Cazalet; choreography Darrell; Western Theatre Ballet; Empire Theatre [3.3], Edinburgh International Festival.

	1962	June 24 World première of Solitaire pas de deux; assignment scenery [?], costumes; choreography Kenneth MacMillan; Western Theatre Ballet; Theatre Royal, Bristol. - Barry Kay's first collaboration with Kenneth MacMillan; impresssed by the work Kay did for Peter Darrell, MacMillan commissioned him to design this piece. June 28 First night of The Unicorn, the Gorgon and the Manticore; revised version; assignment scenery and costumes; choreography Darrell; Western Theatre Ballet; Theatre Royal, Bristol.

	1963	- - -

Home About Us Biography --> Abstract --> 1932-1955 --> 1956-1965 --> 1966-1975 --> 1976-1986 Design Opus Photography Opus Notes & Texts Homage Ex Operibus Noticeboard Archive Plaza Overview Site Map Links Contact	1964	April 2 Première of Images of Love; assignment scenery and costumes; choreography MacMillan; The Royal Ballet; Royal Opera House, London. An avid champion of bringing about a fundamental change in ballet design by pioneering three-dimensionally constructed sets, Kay achieved his notable breakthrough with this production. June 9 Gala Première of Divertimento; assignment scenery [?], costumes; choreography MacMillan; Western Theatre Ballet; Theatre Royal, Bath; Bath Festival of the Arts. July 2 Première of the comedy No Why; assignment scenery and costumes; direction John Schlesinger; Royal Shakespeare Company; Aldeburgh Festival. - Mounted as part of "Expedition One". July 2 Première of The Keyhole / Le Serrure; assignment scenery and costumes; direction Garry O'Connor; Royal Shakespeare Company; Aldwych Theatre, London; mounted as part of "Expedition One". August 5 Première of Victor; assignment scenery and costumes; direction Robin Midgley; Royal Shakespeare Company; Aldwych Theatre, London. December 3 Première of Chaganog; assignment scenery and costumes; direction Alfred Rodrigues; production Peter Bridge; selected cast; Vaudeville Theatre, London. Month/Day [?] At some stage in he course of this year Barry Kay is designing for the Royal Swedish Ballet / Kungliga Operan, Stockholm, performing in Copenhagen. [3.4]

	1965	January 1 [?] Public release of Darling; assignment design consultant [?] [3.5]; costumes Julie Harris; scenery David Ffolkes; direction John Schlesinger; starring Dirk Bogarde, Julie Christie and Laurence Harvey; British movie; event or venue of first show not known. April First night of Chaganog; assignment scenery and costumes; direction Rodrigues; production Peter Bridge; selected cast; St. Martin’s Theatre, London. Summer - Winter Having spotted Kay's refined skills and potential for creating three-dimensional sets, evident in Images of Love, Rudolf Nureyev commissions him to design the scenery and costumes for two ballets - Raymonda act III for the The Royal Ballet Touring Company, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, and Tancredi for the Wiener Staatsopernballett, State Opera House, Vienna. Both productions are scheduled to be premièred mid next year.

	1966	forward to 1966-1975

	[3.1]	Peter Darrell and Elizabeth West originally founded Western Theatre Ballet in 1957 in Bristol. The company transferred to Glasgow in 1969 to become Scottish Theatre Ballet. It was renamed Scottish Ballet in 1974. back to text
	[3.2]	The Unicorn, the Gorgon and the Manticore << external link back to text
	[3.3]	The Empire Theatre is no longer in existence. In 1994, the Edinburgh Festival Theatre was erected on its site. back to text
	[3.4]	Although it cannot be ascertained, notes held at the Archive seem to indicate that Kay was working on a production for Kenneth MacMillan, which the latter appears to have staged with the Royal Swedish Ballet in Copenhagen. back to text
	[3.5]	The Archive holds conflicting information in respect of Kay's assignment to Darling; both design consultant and art director are recorded. It would appear far more likely for Kay to have worked with the costume designer Julie Harris, or the set designer David Ffolkes, rather than with Ray Simm, the art director. Our records show the public release date to have been 1 January 1965. Based on the information provided by www.imdb.com, the movie was premièred at the Moscow Film Festival in July 1965, and the public release took place in the USA on 3 August 1965. back to text

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