Help with identifying an autograph

[MadeleineR]

Hello all, 

 

I'm sorry if this isn't the right place, but I'm an amateur collector of theatre programmes, with a particular interest in ballet programmes. I have a signed Royal Ballet programme from 1969, with 35 signatures in total, and I've been able to decipher the majority of them. 

People I have identified: Margot Fonteyn, Rudolf Nureyev, Monica Mason, Frederick Ashton, Robert Mead, Leslie Edwards, Christopher Newton, Brian Shaw, Michael Somes, Ann Jenner, Donald MacLeary, Jennifer Penney, Derek Rencher, Carole Hill, Diana Vere, Elaine Thomas, Merle Park, Christine Beckley, Ria Peri, Antoinette Sibley, Bridget Goodricke, John Lanchberry (conductor), Hilary Tickner, Desmond Doyle, Julie Wood, Michael Coleman and Ronald Hynd

 

People who I think have signed but I'm not too sure: Alexander Grant, Svetlana Beriosova, Deanne Bergma, Deirdre O'Connaire, Georgina Parkinson 

 

There are however a few that I haven't been able to identify, and I'd appreciate any help with the matter. For the photo that's hopefully (if I can work technology correctly) the lower of the two, it's the signature that starts with an O? perhaps, and has a surname beginning with B? 

There's also a few more, so if anyone can help me out with those too I'd be happy to post the photos

 

Edited June 9, 2021 by MaddieRose

[Jan McNulty]

Hello MaddieRose and welcome to the Forum!

[MadeleineR]

Thank you!

[Jane S]

Could it be Avril Bergen? (don't know if she was still in the company in 1969, though)

[MadeleineR]

Thank you, that must be it, as she's listed on the roster in the programme

[LinMM]

How many different performances do these signatures cover? Perhaps not all are dancers? You’ve mentioned one conductor but perhaps another “guest conductor” 

Its trying to read the handwriting as that style was the first one we were taught at school in the 50’s but the one you asked about has a mixture it looks like Ozxil!!!! Or could be Osiel? Still trying to work out if it’s a B or not! 

[James]

The signature on the upper photo is Gerd Larsen, I think.

[MadeleineR]

The Programme itself is dated as the 10th February 1969, so presumably one performance, but not sure whether they were all signed on the same date. There's a lot of principals represented, and I don't know enough about who would be in the theatre at any given performance to say if it could come from one night. 

And thank you for Gerd Larsen James, that does seem very likely. 
 

The final one that I have no clue who it could possibly be is this one. Again, any suggestions would be very helpful
 

 

 

 

[James]

I think that’s Rosalind Eyre. 

[Odyssey]

30 minutes ago, James said:

I think that’s Rosalind Eyre. 

 

30 minutes ago, James said:

I think that’s Rosalind Eyre. 

 

30 minutes ago, James said:

I think that’s Rosalind Eyre. 

Yes, I do too. Judging from the photos, the dancers seem to have signed in close proximity to their printed names in the programme which often happens. It ‘s a fun exercise trying to decipher signatures . 

[MadeleineR]

Thank you all for your help! 
 

Rosalind Eyre does seem correct. 
 

One thing I always have to remember about these things is that if they were signed at the stage door they signatures might not always be as neat, which makes them harder to decipher sometimes. 
 

And as for the proximity, most have done that, but Fonteyn, Nureyev, Ashton and Mead all signed on the front page (the first page that's not an ad).

[Odyssey]

I am trying to identify the autograph of a dancer who has signed the front piece of a book I have. It’s on the same page as autographs of Moira Shearer , Robert Helpmann, Violetta Elvin and a few others, so it’s of that era and most likely a Sadler Wells dancer. I am really running out of imagination as to the likely letters and detectives here have worked their magic before.  
 

 

[Yaffa]

Maybe Beryl Grey? Amongst the hits for Googling "Beryl Grey autograph" are an item on Ebay: "Moira Shearer Rare Very Early Autographed Page & Auto Beryl Grey Red Shoes 40s" https://www.ebay.com/itm/155688326775 and also  https://www.ebay.com/itm/126723206097 .

Edited February 19 by Yaffa
to correct typo

[Odyssey]

Thank you so much, I think it is a possibility but I would never have worked that out. 
 

edited to add that it makes sense as the book contains photos of the other dancers who have inscribed the front piece. There is a picture of Grey too but I just hadn’t seen any resemblance to. ‘B’ or indeed the other letters. 

Edited February 19 by Odyssey

[Emeralds]

I was very lucky meet and be granted an autograph from Dame Beryl once but she was quite elderly and frail by then so it looked slightly different. The B and both y's were shaped like that though. 

[bangorballetboy]

Yes, it's Beryl Grey.

[bangorballetboy]

Which gives me an excuse to post one of my favourite photographs, taken on 6 February 2017.

 

 

[alison]

I remembered that we'd had a similar thread previously, so thought I'd merge the two