Dot Tenham

Published Tuesday 13 May 2008 at 11:00 by Barbara Eifler and Graham Walne

Stage manager and training pioneer Dot Tenham developed the first course for stage managers and other backstage workers at RADA, which became the basis of other courses in the UK and throughout the world.

Born in Southport on April 1, 1931 as Dorothy Swettenham, her name was shortened by Maud Carpenter because it wouldn’t fit on the programme. Eventually becoming a stage manager and spearheading technical theatre training, Tenham started out as an actress at the Liverpool Rep.

She always had a great gift for comedy and was cast by John Fernald at the Arts Theatre Club, London, where Alec Clunes was director. As was traditional at in the early fifties, Tenham was an acting ASM and so was introduced to the backstage world that was to become her centre of operations.

After years stage managing at the Arts in its heyday, Tenham went with John Fernald when he was appointed principal at RADA, as his stage manager on the condition that she could introduce training for SMs. She began with one student, Rita Guenigault, who went on to work for many years at Glyndebourne.

Tenham developed the first training course for SMs, carpenters, electricians, sound operators, prop makers, designers from 1956, with the support of Fernald and despite initial strong opposition from the RADA council. It was ground-breaking and recognized as the foundation for all subsequent training. Her students are her testimony, among them Paul Pyant, Catherine Bailey, Lindy Hemming, Alasdair Flint, Mollie Kirkland, Alan Hatton, Diane Pao, and Maggie Whitlum - to name only a few. She also put in place and encouraged great teachers: Francis Reid, Colin Brown, Graham Walne, Brenda Hawkins, Peggy Smith, Stella Chitty, Tony Bond, Douglas Heap and David Ayliff, who succeeded her.

“With these people, Dot Tenham changed the face of professional theatre practice and was a major part of the movement that followed to recognize and give proper status to the backstage arts,” says Neil Fraser, the current incumbent of her post at RADA. “Her influence lives on and informs the industry to this day and for this, and for much more, a great debt of gratitude and admiration is owed to Dot Tenham.”

After 21 years at RADA, Tenham retired to Scotland in 1976 in poor health, yet subsequently ran the box office at Pitlochry Festival Theatre for five years. She was awarded an SMA special award in 1989 for her pioneering work in stage management training.

She died after a courageous battle with vascular dementia on February 15. She loved Scotland and her final resting place is Fonab Hill above Pitlochry in Perthshire.

Barbara Eifler

Graham Walne adds:

There are many people like me who owe Dot a great deal and it’s no exaggeration to say her teachings pop up nearly every day, for me 42 years after I first learned them. Visiting her once in Scotland, on a very tight schedule and after the warmest greetings, her next comment was: “Now, when do you have to leave? Let’s work backwards.” My wife exclaimed: “So that’s where that comes from!.” Yes, and a lot more besides.