George Devine
Devine, George Alexander Cassady CBE (1910-1966), Theatre Director
George Alexander Cassady Devine was born on 20 November 1910 in Hendon, London to Giorgios Devine and Ruth Eleanor Cassady. In 1919 he started at Clayesmore School where he completed his education. From 1929-1932 he studied modern history at Wadham College, University of Oxford but left one term early and did not take his final exams.
In his final year of university Devine was president of the Oxford University Dramatic Society. As a student he worked alongside notable actors including Edith Evans, Laurence Olivier and Peggy Ashcroft. Devine established connections with professional theatre early: in 1932 Devine invited actor, John Gielgud, to direct the society’s production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in which Devine played Mercutio.
Devine left university prematurely in April 1932 to move to London where he immediately secured acting jobs. During this time he lived with his friends ‘Motley’, a team of theatre designers consisting of Audrey Harris (known as Sophie Harris, 1900–1966), Margaret Harris and Elizabeth Montgomery. He became the firm’s business manager and organised their expenses. Devine and Sophie Harris were together and eventually married on 27 October 1939. They had one child, Harriet Devine.
In 1935 Motely designed for Michel Saint-Denis, director of the prestigious French stage company, Compagnie des Quinze. Devine met Saint-Denis at the Motely studio and he became a friend, mentor and colleague for Devine. In the same year Saint-Denis and Devine established and managed an innovative drama school, The London Theatre Studio. Despite its potential, the school was forced to close with the outbreak of the First World War in 1939.
During the war Devine was a captain in the Royal Artillery based in Burma and he was twice mentioned in despatches. Throughout the war he wrote about theatre in personal journal entries and in letters to Saint-Denis.
Post war, he resumed partnership with Saint-Denis. In the wake of their previous venture with the London Theatre Studio, the pair opened the Old Vic Theatre Centre along with Glen Byam Shaw in 1947. This consisted of a drama school and a theatre troupe, The Young Vic Company. But in 1952 the governors of the Old Vic closed the school due to lack of funds, causing great outrage.
Subsequently, in 1952 Devine became a freelance director. He worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and directed opera at Sadler's Wells. Devine was disappointed by the disaster of the Old Vic School but began planning to run a new theatre aimed to encourage new writers. During 1953-4 he tried to raise funding to secure the Royal Court Theatre which was famous for showing the plays of George Bernard Shaw from 1904-08. His plans at the time were unsuccessful and multiple schemes fell through.
Separately, Ronald Duncan and Oscar Lewenstein were seeking to establish a theatre company to stage non-commercial plays. This led to the formation of a group in 1954, initially name the English Stage Society Ltd. When the company was officially registered in October 1954 it changed its name to the English Stage Company (ESC) to distinguish it from existing organisations. Lewenstein approached Devine in 1954 and offered him the role of Artistic Director. Devine accepted and committed in early 1955. At this time, the ESC were seeking to lease the Kingsway Theatre. However, this was delayed because the Kingsway needed refurbishment and the ESC instead leased the Royal Court Theatre. This was a fortuitous turn of events as Devine admired the history of the Royal Court Theatre and had been keen to work there.
The ESC’s first production was in April 1956 Wilson’s the ‘Mulberry Bush’, followed by Miller’s ‘The Crucible’. Devine and the ESC experienced huge success in May 1956 with John Osborne's ‘Look Back in Anger’ which secured the company’s future. The ESC established itself as a radical and innovative theatre company, showing new plays by new writers.
In 1957 Devine was awarded a Commander of the British Empire for services to drama. Devine’s work with the ESC is considered to have changed British theatre, bringing it to forefront of culture. Devine stepped down from the role of Artistic Director in 1965 due to his health. He was replaced by William Gaskill.
Devine and Sophie Harris had divorced in the 1960s. In his final years he lived with Jocelyn Herbert (1917–2003), a designer and former London Theatre Studio pupil. He was with her when he died in London on 20 January 1966.
In April 1966 the ESC was 10 years old and the occasion was marked with the launch of the George Devine award. This is an annual award given to a new play and chosen by Devine’s daughter Harriet.