Not currently on display at the V&A

Dora Bryan in They Don't Grow on Trees

Caricature
14 November 1968 (dated)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This caricature shows Dora Bryan (b.1924) as Jessie Macfarlane in They Don't Grow on Trees by Ronald Millar at the Oxford New Theatre in November 1968. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.

Dora Bryan from Lancashire made her name as a character actress on the stage and in films, including A Taste of Honey, 1961, and The Great St. Trinian’s Robbery, 1966. She also appeared in the West End stage version of The Full Monty.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleDora Bryan in <i>They Don't Grow on Trees</i> (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash on paper
Brief description
Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976) of Dora Bryan in They Don't Grow on Trees at the Oxford New Theatre. Dated 14 November 1968.
Physical description
Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash caricature of Dora Bryan in They Don't Grow on Trees at the Oxford New Theatre. Dated 14 November 1968. From a hard-backed sketch book containing caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad.
Dimensions
  • Height: 25.2cm (approximately)
  • Width: 18.7cm (approximately)
Credit line
Given by Michael Sommerlad
Object history
This caricature comes from an album of caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn (with one exception) by Gilbert J.Sommerlad (1904-1976) between December 1965 and September 1971 at the Oxford New Theatre. Gilbert Sommerlad moved from Brighton to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist in 1936. He continued with his caricatures until his retirement.
Subject depicted
Summary
This caricature shows Dora Bryan (b.1924) as Jessie Macfarlane in They Don't Grow on Trees by Ronald Millar at the Oxford New Theatre in November 1968. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.

Dora Bryan from Lancashire made her name as a character actress on the stage and in films, including A Taste of Honey, 1961, and The Great St. Trinian’s Robbery, 1966. She also appeared in the West End stage version of The Full Monty.
Collection
Accession number
S.134:28-2002

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Record createdNovember 24, 2003
Record URL
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