Gillian Lynne

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Gillian Lynne as Claudine in the 1954 production of Can Can at the Coliseum Theatre, London.
Gillian Lynne as Claudine in the 1954 production of Can Can at the Coliseum Theatre, London.

Gillian Lynne, CBE (b. February 20, 1926, Bromley, Kent, England) is a British ballerina, dancer, actor, theatre director , television director and choreographer.

Lynne was a precocious dance talent from an early age, teaming with her childhood friend Beryl Grey while still at school and dancing to blot out the tragedy of the violent death (in a car crash) of her mother when Gillian was just 12 years old.[1]

While dancing for Molly Lake’s Company at the People's Palace she was spotted by Dame Ninette de Valois and asked to join Sadler's Wells Ballet during World War II. With the opening of the Royal Opera House after the War she received her first solo in Sleeping Beauty.

She went on to become an admired dramatic ballerina in the re-named Royal Ballet, renowned for her Black Queen in de Valois’s Checkmate, Queen of the Wilis in Giselle and in roles created for her by Frederick Ashton and Robert Helpman. Leaving the Royal Ballet in 1951 she was an instant success at the London Palladium as the star dancer and subsequently in the West End in such roles as Claudine in Can Can at the Coliseum Theatre and on film as Mariane in The Master of Ballantrae, in which she was cast opposite Errol Flynn and directed by William Keighley.

In her career as a choreographer and director, she has worked on many productions including those from the Royal Opera House, Royal Shakespeare Company and English National Opera as well as many West End and Broadway shows. She is perhaps best known for her work on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals Cats and The Phantom of the Opera.

More recently, in 2002 she adapted the Sherman Brothers' film musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for the stage. It played in London, and later on Broadway, both times successfully.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang brought Lynne back to the London Palladium after 50 years. She has won numerous awards for her work, and she was awarded a CBE in 1997.

Gillian married Peter Land in 1980. Along with their other interests her production company Lean Two Productions continues to produce television and stage productions.

Contents

[edit] Stage Credits

[edit] Film Credits

  • The Master of Ballantrae - 1953 - Actress/Choreographer
  • The Last Man To Hang - 1956 - Actress
  • Make Mine A Million - 1959 - Actress
  • Wonderful Life - 1963/64 - Musical Stager/Choreographer
  • Every Day's A Holiday - 1964 - Musical Stager/Choreographer
  • Three Hats For Lisa - 1964 - Musical Stager/Choreographer
  • Half A Sixpence - 1966/67 - Musical Stager/Choreographer
  • Mister Ten Per Cent - 1967 - Choreographer
  • 200 Motels - 1971 - Musical Stager
  • Mr Love - 1972 - Stager/Choreographer
  • Man Of La Mancha - 1972 - Musical & Fight Stager
  • The Old Curiosity Shop - 1974 - Musical Stager
  • Yentl - 1982 - Musical Stager
  • Under Milk Wood - 1985 - Musical Stager/Choreographer
  • European Vacation - 1985 - Musical Stager/Choreographer
  • Cats - 1997 - Musical Stager/Choreographer

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Recounted by Dame Beryl Grey in The Independent March 10, 2002

[edit] External links

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