Before Ballet Shoes: Noel Streatfeild’s The Children’s Matinée

ABSTRACT

This article explores eight short plays by Noel Streatfeild (1895–1986), seven of which a cast of children and adults performed as a fundraiser in an Eastbourne, East Sussex home, probably in early 1934. Heinemann published the Eastbourne pieces, bound with the eighth play, as The Children’s Matinée in a single volume later that year. The article covers Streatfeild’s background as actress, playwright, producer, and novelist; her literary toolkit, including her familiarity with stories, drama, music, and popular culture from ancient times to the 1930s; and her role in creating an intergenerational environment for the production of these plays.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Editorial note

It is with great sadness that we share the news that while completing this article Dr. Sally Stokes lost her battle with cancer. She died on August 13, 2020 in Silver Spring, Maryland surrounded by her family. In addition to being an accomplished teacher and theatre scholar, she was also a devoted wife to Samuel Newton Stokes and loving mother of Thomas Wiatt Stokes. A remembrance of her life can be read at: https://rappfuneral.com/tribute/details/31255/Sally-Stokes/obituary.html#tribute-start.

At Sally’s request and with her husband’s support, we have minimally edited her article in order to ensure her final research project made it to print. Before her passing, she shared her hopes that other scholars might consider continuing her investigation of Streatfeild’s work. Sally bequeathed her collection of Streatfeild’s material to the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi. In her honor, we have made a small donation to support this collection and we invite others to consider doing so as well. Donations can be made online at https://www.degrummond.org/donate (Specify fund #0679) or by check at: The de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive, #5148, Hattiesburg, MS 39406. (Check should be made out to the USM Foundation. Note fund #0679 on the memo line.).

Angie Sweigart-Gallagher and Erika Hughes,

Co-Guest Editors