Philip Prowse
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Philip Prowse (born 29 December 1937) is a stage director and designer, and was one of the triumvirate of directors at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland, from 1970 until 2004.
Early life and education
Prowse was born in England on 29 December 1937,{{cite web| url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100351530| website =Oxford Reference| title=Overview: Philip Prowse | access-date=8 April 2022}} and was trained at the Slade School of Fine Art in London.{{cite web | title=Philip Prowse, b. 1937 | website=National Galleries of Scotland | url=https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/42039 | access-date=8 April 2022}}
Career
He moved to Scotland in 1969, From 1970 he was a co-director of the Citizens Theatre with Giles Havergal and Robert David MacDonald,{{cite web | title=The Citizens (Robert David MacDonald, 1929 - 2004; Philip Prowse, b. 1937; Giles Havergal, b. 1938) | website=National Galleries of Scotland | url=https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/41668 | access-date=8 April 2022}}{{cite news| last=Coveney| first=Michael| title=Robert David MacDonald |work=The Guardian|date=24 May 2004|url= https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/may/24/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries | access-date=8 April 2022}}{{cite web | title=Robert David MacDonald |last=Jones|first=Sarah| website=The Independent | date=28 June 2004 | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/robert-david-macdonald-38741.html | access-date=8 April 2022}} having previously worked with Havergal at the Watford Palace Theatre. Prowse's last production at the Citizens Theatre was Thomas Otway's Venice Preserv'd in 2004. He directed and designed over 70 plays with the Citizens Theatre{{cn|date=April 2022}} and has worked throughout the world designing and directing for opera, ballet and drama.
Long term artistic collaborators include those with actor Glenda Jackson and director/choreographer Geoffrey Cauley.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}
MacDonald's English translation of Racine's Phèdre, titled Phedra, was produced at The Old Vic in November 1984, designed and directed by Prowse and with Glenda Jackson in the title role and Robert Eddison as Theramenes.{{cite book|title =Phedra [theatre programme] |date =1984|publisher =Proscenium, for The Old Vic }} {{cite web | title=London The Old Vic Theatre - Phedra - 1984 | website= Theatre Memorabilia .co.uk | url=https://www.theatrememorabilia.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2642 | access-date=8 April 2022}} The costume which he designed for Jackson's performance is in the Victoria and Albert Museum.{{cite web | title=Theatre Costume, 1984, [by] Prowse, Philip | website=Victoria and Albert Museum | date=17 February 1984 | url=https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O102297/theatre-costume-prowse-philip/ | access-date=8 April 2022}}
Up to his retirement Prowse also taught on the Theatre Design MFA course at the Slade School of Fine Art.{{cn|date=April 2022}}
Recognition
There are two paintings of Prowse by Adrian Wiszniewski, commissioned by Scottish National Portrait Gallery, completed in 1995 and in their collections. There is also a photograph taken around 2004 by Richard Campbell, also in the collection.{{cite web | title=Philip Prowse (Director) | website=National Galleries of Scotland | url=https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/80421 | access-date=8 April 2022}}
National Life Stories conducted an oral history interview with Hudson in 2005 for its An Oral History of Theatre Design collection held by the British Library.[http://sounds.bl.uk/Oral-history/Theatre/021M-C1173X0003XX-0001V0 National Life Stories, 'Prowse, Philip (1 of 27) An Oral History of Theatre Design', The British Library Board, 2005]. Retrieved 1 February 2018
References
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